THE Seed Division under the Myanma Agriculture Service has begun distributing more than 100,000 baskets of registered paddy seeds to selected farmers under a government plan to achieve a target yield of 100 baskets an acre.

The division’s assistant manager, U Than Lwin said about 20 varieties will be planted by the farmers to produce certified seeds that help to increase paddy production.

He said the registered seeds will be grown during the summer and monsoon crops and the resulting certified seeds will be distributed to other farmers in the following seasons.

U Than Lwin said the varieties are capable of yielding between 80 to 100 baskets an acre.

He said the Seed Division received about 100 baskets of breeder seeds a year from the Department of Agricultural Research at Yezin in Mandalay Division to produce foundation seeds which are grown to produce registered seeds.

About 10,000 baskets of registered seeds will be planted in this summer paddy and the balance will be grown in the monsoon crop, he said.

U Than Lwin said more than 30 paddy varieties were grown or were being developed by the Seed Division. The 20 varieties were being distributed at the request of the selected farmers, who were regarded by the government as being the best suited to cultivate registered seeds.