Be law abiding - Private investors in breeder and foundation seeds urgedBe law abiding - Private investors in breeder and foundation seeds urged

Dr Hans Adu Dapaah, Director of Crops Research Institute, has advised farmers who want to venture into the production of breeder and foundation seeds to conform to the new Plant and Fertilizer laws of the country.

He said unlike previous times, the new law permits private investors to venture into the production of breeder and foundation seeds but they have to register and conform to some institutional regulations to guarantee the quality of their products.

Dr Dapaah was speaking at a meeting of stakeholders in the Seed Industry at Fumesua in the Ashanti Region on Thursday.

Members of the Ghana Grains and Legumes Board, Seed Producers Association of Ghana (SEEDPAG), Ghana Agriculture Inputs Dealers Association, private Seed Companies and the Crop Research Institute attended the meeting.

Dr Dapaah advised stakeholders in the seed industry to encourage the participation of farmers in the selection of the type of seeds that they want to promote to ensure that seeds produced are those preferred by majority of farmers.

He called on members of the SEEEPAG to support the promotion of hybrid seeds in the country to help increase productivity and promote the seed industry.

Dr Robert Asuboah, Acting Director of the Grains and Legumes Board, said the board was having challenges in getting the annual foundation seed requirements of seed growers in the country.

He said as a result of that it was difficult for the board to plan the production of foundation seeds to meet the requirements of certified seed production.

Mr Patrick Apulla, National President of SEEDPAG, called on the Regional Presidents of the association to share the recent information given them to their members for them to know about recent developments in the association.