Centre authorises Tripura to certify paddy seeds for Manipur and Mizoram: Agriculture Minister

Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Wednesday announced that the central government has authorised Tripura to certify paddy seeds for the neighbouring states of Manipur and Mizoram, a move aimed at ensuring authenticity and quality in seed distribution across the region.

The Minister made the announcement while unveiling a statue of renowned agricultural scientist Dr. M. S. Swaminathan at the State Agriculture Research Station premises in AD Nagar. He said the certification process, to be handled by the Tripura Agriculture Department, would bring genuine recognition to paddy produced in Manipur and Mizoram.

Expressing gratitude to the research centre for honouring Dr. Swaminathan, Nath recalled the Green Revolution pioneer’s contribution to Indian agriculture. “Though delayed, I must thank the Centre for honouring the man who gave Indian agriculture a new shape. It is because of his vision that the country became self-sufficient in food grains. He always emphasised that if agriculture fails, nothing else can be developed. If we cannot prepare a good budget for agriculture, then all other budgets will eventually fail,” he said.

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Nath also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to boost domestic edible oil production, pointing out that while India no longer depends on imports for fish or milk, edible oil remains a major gap. “The Prime Minister has set a goal that by 2030, 72 percent of edible oil consumed in the country must be produced domestically. This is why the government is focusing strongly on its production,” he said.

Underscoring the importance of modernising agriculture through integrated farming, the Minister said India’s current export basket, which includes rice, sugar, fish, milk, eggs and spices, was possible due to the hard work of farmers and the visionary path charted by Dr. Swaminathan. “It is because of this that India today stands second in paddy production,” he added.

Nath further urged farmers in Tripura to remain closely connected with agricultural research centres to embrace modern practices and improve yields. Highlighting the state’s progress, he informed that out of Tripura’s 58 blocks, 31 have achieved self-sufficiency in food grain cultivation, with Chandipur RD Block being the latest addition to the list.