1. Application for seed production
2. Registration of sowing report
3. Field inspection
4. Seed processing
5. Seed sample and seed analysis
6. Tagging and sealing
1. Application for seed production:
Any person who wants to take up certified seed production should submit a sowing report in triplicate to the Assistant Director of Seed Certification to register the crop and season with a registration fee of Rs. 25/- (Rupees twenty five only) and prescribed certification charges. The fee is for a single crop variety for an area up to 25 acres and for a single season. Along with this fee for seed certification the label of the seed source should be submitted. Separate sowing reports are required for different crop varieties, different classes, and different stages. Separate sowing reports are required to be registered for the same crop variety if the seed production fields are separated by more than 50meters, sowing or planting dates differ by more than 7 days and if the seed farm area exceeds 25 acres. The sowing report should reach the concerned Assistant Director of Seed Certification within 35 days from the date of sowing or 15 days before flowering whichever is earlier. In the case of transplanted crop the sowing report should be sent 15 days before flowering.
2. Registration of sowing report
After receiving the application of the sowing report, the Assistant Director of Seed Certification scrutinizes and registers the seed farm and duly assigns a Seed certification number for each sowing report.
3. Field Inspection
The objective of the field inspection is to check for the factors that may affect the genetic purity and physical health of the seeds. Field inspection will be conducted by the Seed Certification Officer (SCO) to whom the specific seed farm has been allocated. The specific date of inspection and details of the seed farm will be intimated by the Seed Certification Officer through a copy of the sowing report sent to him. Number of field inspections will differ from crop to crop depending upon the growth stages of the crop.
4. Seed sampling and analysis
Seed sample should be sent to the seed testing laboratory for analysis through the Assistant Director of Seed Certification. The fee of Rs.30/- (Rupees thirty only) for seed analysis should be paid during the registration of the seed farm. To analyse the genetic purity of the seed sample, the producer should pay a fee of Rs. 200/- (Rupees two hundred only) to the Assistant Director of Seed Certification. Seed lots which meet the prescribed seed standards like purity, free of inert matter, moisture percentage and germination capacity alone will be allotted the certification label. White colour label for foundation seeds and blue colour label for certified seeds should be bought from the Assistant Director of Seed Certification by paying Rs. 3 and Rs. 2 respectively.
5. Tagging
Approved seed lots should be tagged with certification tag within two months from the date of the receipt of seed analysis report or within 30 days from the date of genetic purity test performed. On receipt of the seed tags, it is verified by the Seed Certification Officer. All the prescribed details are entered in the tag without any omission. The green colour (10 – 15 cm size) producer tag should also be attached to the seed lot along with the certification tag. Avoid stitching more than once on the tags. All the tagging operations should be done in the presence of the Seed Certification Officer. If tagging has not been done within the specific time limit, confirmation samples can be taken with prior permission from the Assistant Director of Seed Certification.
In such cases the validity of the seed lot will be fixed from the initial date of seed analysis and tagged. The fee for the delayed tagging is Rs. 50/- (Rupees fifty only) and seed analysis fee of Rs. 30/- (Rupees thirty only) has to be paid in such cases.
The certified tagged seed is valid only for a limited period of time, say nine months from the date of seed sample testing for all seed crops. If the particular seed lot is not sold out within this period, revalidation of additional six months can be made only if the seed lot meets out necessary seed standards.
Source: http://www.ciks.org/1. A Manual on Seed Production and Certification.pdf