QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR CATALYZING THE TRANSFORMATION OF PLANT TISSUE CULTURE SECTOR: A PERSPECTIVE OF INDIAN TISSUE CULTURE INDUSTRY

A robust quality management system in the form of National Certification System for Tissue Culture Plants (NCS-TCP) became an effective platform during the last one and a half decade for facilitating production and distribution of virus free and quality tissue culture plants/propagules to Indian farmers. BCIL has played a key role in establishment of NCS-TCP under the support of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and managed the NCS-TCP efficiently. Stakeholders have witnessed impact of NCS-TCP on commercial plant tissue culture vertical and its sustainability which made this quality management system very popular among the stakeholders. Tissue culture industry has felt its importance and provided feedback that NCS-TCP significantly contributed in increasing their production capacity, refining the layout of production facility, improving efficiency of operators, reducing contamination during in vitro operation, decreasing mortality of tissue cultured plants, increasing demand of tissue culture plants, and enhancing visibility of companies. . Industry also realized that this robust quality management system is necessary for sustainability and growth of tissue culture operation. NCS-TCP has reached to the level where it can further expand by accrediting more companies under recognized pool, certifying 100% produce of all such tissue culture companies, including more plant species under certification, and become one window support system for ultimate benefits of farming community towards better yield and enhanced income.