Seeds worth around Tk 10,000 crore are being sold in the country every year. The top demand is rice seeds. And vegetable seeds are at the top of demand. Now every year karla seeds are being sold for 142 crore rupees. Then there are tomatoes at the top of seed sales. Tomato seeds worth Tk 96 crore are being sold every year. And cucumber seeds are being sold for 96 crore rupees.
Although a handful of businesses were involved after the independence of the country, great development took place in this sector after the nineties. Since then many corporate entities have been associated with the seed sector. Besides, the students studying in the Agricultural University also formed the institution. As a result, about 200 small and large companies in the country are now associated with this business. However, only a handful of institutions are producing seeds by developing varieties through research. As a result, seeds that are well-adapted to climate change are being marketed. So that the local demand is met. Vegetables are also being exported abroad.
Notable names in the seed sector now are Lal Tir, United, Jamalpur Seed, ACI, Supreme, AR Malik, Metal, Mallika, BRAC, Bayer Crop Science, Ispahani, National Agricare, Partex Seed, Krishibid Seed, Getco and Babylon Seed.
A review of various data by the Department of Agricultural Extension and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2021, various seeds including vegetables, paddy, wheat, maize, jute, tea and tobacco were sold in the country to the tune of Tk 8,924 crore. Of this, seeds worth Tk 2,600 crore have been supplied by various manufacturers and importers. The rest of the seeds were provided by farmers and local collectors. Seeds of different organizations are packaged and seeds of farmers are open.
The seed market can be divided into two parts. Vegetable seeds; Paddy, wheat and other seeds. Annually, various companies are selling vegetable seeds at a cost of Tk 1,600 crore. Hybrid rice seeds are being sold for 1 thousand crore rupees.
The top red arrow in the country in vegetable seed sales, about 32 percent. Then Metal 13 percent, Jamalpur Seed 12 percent, ACI 6 percent, United Seed 5 percent; Supreme Seed, Mallika Seed and AR Malik get 3 percent.
The top seed in the country in rice seed sales, about 16 percent. Among the packaged rice seeds sold in the country are 9 per cent from Bayer Crops, 6 per cent from ACI, 6 per cent from BRAC, 6 per cent from National Agricare, 6 per cent from Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, 5 per cent from Red Arrow, 4 per cent from Ispahani and 2 per cent from Partex Seed.
AR Malik tops the list in seed imports, with about 16 per cent, United 17 per cent, Masud Seed 12 per cent, Mallika and Supreme 9 per cent, Jamalpur Seed 5 per cent, Lal Tir 3 per cent, Kashem Seed 3 per cent, ACI 3 per cent and Getco 2 per cent. .
According to the people involved in the sector, in 2021, Red Arrow is selling seeds worth Rs 300 crore, United Rs 250 crore, BRAC Rs 150 crore, Supreme Rs 120 crore, AR Malik Rs 120 crore, ACI Rs 110 crore and Metal Rs 80 crore.