Speaking at the Agro-Advantage Maharashtra Global Investors' Convention, former union secretary in the department of agriculture, K Rajan, said the devlopment of infrastructure was critical for the growth of agro sector.

``India needs to phase out quantitative restrictions on imports of agro products, measures like free flow of technology and increasing investments in the processing sector will help domestic players to face the stiff competition from global firms,'' Rajan said on Friday, the first day of the four-day meet of Agro-Advantage.

The country has moved away from the rigid pursuit of self-sufficiency of foodgrains to measures which favoured productions systems being adopted to suit each homogeneous area or region. The Planning Commission's role is to achieve objectives like improved farmers' and farm labours' income, sound production systems, and accelerated growth.

On thechanging patterns in consumption, he said many other agricultural products, like milk, milk products and vegetables are assuming greater relevance when compared with cereals in both rural and urban areas.

On the new seed policy of 1998, K Rajan said that the new policy enabled the introduction of new varieties of crops, particularly in the case of floriculture, ornamentals, and horticultural crops like fruits and vegetables. However, the absence of Plant Breeder's Rights regime has been an impediment to the introduction of the best varieties. In this regard, he said the government is contemplating a sui generis legislation according privileges and rights to plant breeders who evolve new crop varieties to be covered under the legislation while safeguarding the interest of farmers.

Commenting on the role of the ministry of food processing, Rajan said creation of large employment opportunities has been one of the major benefits. He mentioned that the horticulture sector, under the National HorticultureBoard, has shown an impressive growth. The Board has been instrumental in setting up vital marketing and other infrastructure for the sector, he said.

Rajan emphasised on the establishment of agro processing facilities which, he said can add value to the product but enable farmers to have a better realisation.