Market Trends of South Asia Seed Sector Analysis
Cereal Seeds Dominate the Market
Cereal crops, such as rice and wheat, are the staple food of the South Asian countries, thus making it the most consumed seed. The cultivation of cereals has been continuously growing in the South Asian region. For example, according to FAO, the area under paddy cultivation in India was 43.6 million hectares in 2019, which increased to 46.4 million hectares by 2022. The commercially cultivated area under rice in India increased between 2016 and 2022 by more than 50% because about 60% of the population in India consumes rice. The country is also a leading producer of rice to meet the global demand for rice. Other cereals that are cultivated in this region are wheat, barley, oats maize, and sorghum. Increasing cereal cultivation will boost the cereal seed market at a significant rate in the future.
India Dominates the South Asian Seeds Market
India, the world's second-largest population, with huge agricultural land dominates the seed market in the Asian region. The adoption of hybrid seeds is one of the prime reasons for the growth of the market in India. The hybrid seed sector witnessed a growth of 15-20% per year over the past decade. The major boost has come from the increased adoption of Bt cotton hybrids, single-cross corn hybrids, hybrid rice, and hybrid vegetables. Cereals are the most widely grown crops in India, and the seed market for the same has been witnessing tremendous growth.
Rice, soybean, and maize are the crops cultivated in the country. Maize is the third-largest cereal crop grown in the region. India produced more than 75 thousand metric tons of maize in 2021. The major cultivation areas for maize are in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh in India.
To support the development of the seed industry, the Government of India launched many schemes, such as the Seed Village Program, Integrated Scheme on Oilseeds, transport subsidy on the movement of seeds to the Northeastern States in India, and hybrid rice seed production, which are strengthening the growth of the market.
