Legislative Aim and Context
- Introduction: The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has proposed the Draft Seeds Bill 2025.
- Purpose: Intends to replace the Seeds Act, 1966, and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983.
- Core Objectives: To modernize India’s seed sector, ensure quality, protect farmers, promote innovation, and improve the ease of doing business.
- Background: This draft follows previous unsuccessful attempts in 2004 and 2019, seeking to align regulations with new agricultural technology and global standards.
2. Key Regulatory Provisions
- Quality Assurance: Mandates adherence to Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards (e.g., germination, genetic purity, physical purity) for all seeds sold.
- Mandatory Registration: Requires registration for all seed varieties (excluding farmers’ varieties and those for export) to ensure traceability and accountability.
- Dealer Licensing: All seed dealers and distributors must obtain a registration certificate from the relevant State government.
- Regulated Imports: Allows the Central Government to permit the import of unregistered varieties under regulated conditions for research and trial purposes.
- Offence Categorization: Decriminalizes minor and trivial offences to enhance the Ease of Doing Business.
- Strict Penalties: Introduces strict penalties for major offences (e.g., selling spurious seeds, operating without registration), including fines up to Rs 30 lakh and imprisonment up to 3 years.
- Oversight Bodies: Establishes Central and State Seeds Committees for policy coordination, regulation, and oversight.
- Farmer Protections: Upholds the right of farmers to save, use, exchange, and sell their own (non-branded) seed varieties, while ensuring they are protected from poor-quality seeds.
- Stakeholder Perspectives
- Farmer Organisations: Express concern that the Bill may be “pro-corporate,” potentially favoring multinational companies and limiting farmer autonomy.
- Seed Industry Associations: Generally welcome the Bill, viewing it as a necessary step towards modernization, innovation, and improved regulatory clarity.
