Rasi Seeds Launches 'HyVeg' Brand Vegetable Seed in India

Rasi Seeds, India's pioneer hybrid cotton and Bt cotton hybrid seed manufacturer, has launched a separate high profile brand 'HyVeg' for its vegetable seed business. Rasi Seeds has invested roughly US$ 8-10 million creating the-state-of-the-art operational facility including R&D farm, greenhouse and seed production facility in Gurgaon, Kullu and Bangaluru and corporate office at Gurgaon, Haryana. After its research and development in Bt cotton hybrid seeds, it aims to expand its vegetable seed business under ‘HyVeg' brand that will focus on high yielding and nutritious hybrid vegetables. Dr. R.S. Paroda, former Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Chairman, Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Science, inaugurated the opening of the vegetable seed processing facility and the corporate office on 14^th December 2009 at Gurgaon, Haryana.

The newly created vegetable seed brand 'HyVeg' is committed to deliver innovation vegetable hybrids for the benefit of farmers and consumers. The dedicated vegetable division and the brand will develop hybrids of okra, brinjal, gourds and cluster beans. "We are aiming for a 10-15 per cent share of the vegetable seed market in the next three to five years," said Dr. M. Ramasami, Managing Director of Rasi Seeds. Dr. Arvind Kapur, CEO, Rasi's Vegetable division stressed that "these research farms will develop and test hybrids for different agro-climatic zones. The 11-acre Kullu station, for example, is well-suited for cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower), while our 50-acre Bengaluru center will concentrate on tomato, okra, melons and hot pepper. Growers are willing to pay more for vegetable seeds, since the yields are higher. Vegetable seed production is also more complex and it is not easy to maintain high genetic purity and viability. That is why farmers rarely use saved seeds and prefer to buy," Dr Kapur added.

For more information about Rasi Seeds and for the new 'HyVeg'  brand vegetable products contact Dr. Arvind Kapur at: arvindkapur@rasiseeds.com or visit http://www.rasiseeds.com/vegetable_products.html For more information about biotech development in India contact b.choudhary@cgiar.org and k.gaur@cgiar.org