Patna: The Bihar government’s focus on agricultural reforms is showing results, with the widespread adoption of improved seed varieties leading to a dramatic surge in crop yields. According to the state Agriculture Department, maize production alone has risen by nearly 300% as farmers have fully transitioned to improved seed varieties.
Officials said the initiative forms a key part of Bihar’s agriculture roadmap, with certified seeds now being provided to farmers at subsidised rates and in a timely manner. The Bihar State Seed Corporation, revived in 2005, and a foundation seed programme launched in 2006–07 across 241 state seed multiplication projects, have been central to this transformation.
Data shows a steady rise in the seed replacement rate (SRR) across major crops. For paddy, the SRR has climbed from 11% in 2004–05 to 50.91% in 2024–25. Wheat has seen an increase from 12% to 46.32% in the same period. Pulses, once lagging, have risen from just 5.83% to 46.75%, while oilseeds have seen one of the sharpest jumps, from 30% to 90.26%.
Agriculture officials said the elimination of low-yielding seeds has provided farmers with higher productivity and greater income security, while contributing to the state’s overall food grain growth.
