Lucknow, May 16 -- In a significant boost to the agricultural sector, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to make the state self-reliant in seed production.

Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi announced the establishment of five new seed parks aimed at ensuring farmers have easy access to high-yielding and affordable seed varieties.

Currently, Uttar Pradesh requires around 70 lakh quintals of seeds annually to cover 270 lakh hectares of farmland. However, the state produces only 40 lakh quintals, with the remainder sourced from other states at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore. "This move will drastically reduce our dependency and cut costs for farmers," Shahi stated.

The first seed park will be set up in Attari, Luckn...