HAU signs MoUs with 150 seed firms to meet farmers’ demands

Taking a leap forward in its public-private partnership programme initiated for commercialisation of technologies, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU) signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with about 150 seed companies on Friday.

Under the MoU, non-exclusive licences have been granted to these companies by the university for the production and marketing of seed of a recently developed yellow disease resistant wheat variety WH-1105 as well as WH-1124.

WH-1105 is suitable for cultivation in under-irrigated and timely sown conditions in north-west plain zone of the country. It gave an average yield of 52-55 quintal/hectare. Likewise, WH-1124 is suitable for cultivation under late sown, high fertility and irrigated conditions. The average yield of this variety is 48-49 quintal/hectare.

The MoUs were signed between the representatives of seed companies from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan and the director of research of the university, SS Siwach at a programme chaired by vice-chancellor KS Khokhar.

Last year, 74 MoUs were signed for WH-1105 variety of wheat. Even Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab chief minister, has sought WH-1105 seeds for his farm, it is learnt.

Speaking on the occasion, Khokhar said, “The policies and programmes of the government are customer-centric and not in favour of farmers. The recent `50 hike in the MSP of wheat has not gone down well with the farming community.”

Ram Singh, director of human resource management of the university, said Business Planning and Development Unit (BPDU) set up in the university to commercialise varsity technologies and entrepreneurship development had so far commercialised 51 research technologies, including maize, pearl millet and rice hybrids, wheat and dhaincha varieties, liquid biofertilisers, food products technologies, biodegradable plastic and milk urea detection kit developed by the varsity scientists.