TRADE INSPECTION OF FORAGE SEEDS

JOSÉ NEUMAR FRANCELINO

 

The responsability of trade inspection of seeds and nursery trees belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture and is executed through the National Secretary of Agricultural Defense and by the Division of Vegetal Multiplication Materials Inspection. It is ruled by the law n.° 6507, issued in December 12th, 1977 and regulated by the decree no 81771 of June 6th, 1978. Its objective is the verification of law provisions observances and, also, to perform the function of merchant and consumer education, so as to assure the use, by farmers and cattle grower, of good quality seeds. In inspecting commercial forage seeds we have based upon quality standards previously established by legal diplomas, which are dimensioned according to verifications and control possibilitíes. Therefore it is required, for grasses, percentages of germination, purity and pure live seeds which are perfectly verifiable. It is an inspection function, also, the verification of materials identifications (both in stocked lots and in transit) for origin observance, validity date of analysis, and quality guaranty certificate issued by the seed grower or by the technician responsible for it. A major difficulty in inspecting forage seed trade in this country is the unorganized system of production which characterizes this product. A better integration between research and extension will contribute to the development of forage seed production and commercialization and will better orient the buyer in disceming "quality from quantity". The Inspection Service is also preocupied with the problem of Brazilian dependency on imported forage seeds for it understands that Brazil disposes of scientific knowledge for forage seed production and is in condition to intensify research and production of these seeds. Imported seeds are equally inspected and its framing into minimum quality standarts are verified.



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