Draft Seeds Bill, 2025
Why in news?
The government released the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025 in November to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983, aiming to modernize seed regulation amid advances in biotechnology and a surplus seed supply of 46.29 lakh quintals in 2023-24.
Key Provisions in draft
- Mandatory registration of seed varieties (except farmers' traditional/export seeds) via VCU trials.
- Minimum standards for germination, purity, health; QR codes, labeling mandatory.
- Farmers' rights: Save, use, exchange, sell farm-saved seeds (not branded).
- Registration required for producers, dealers, distributors, nurseries.
- Central/State Seed Committees; enhanced testing labs, certification agencies.
- SATHI Portal for digital traceability.
- Graded penalties: Trivial (warnings), minor (₹2L), major (₹30L + jail).
- Eased imports with quarantine; central accreditation for multi-state firms.
Controversies
- Critics argue the bill undermines state authority,
- Allows foreign-certified seeds without Indian trials,
- Reduces ICAR's role,
- Lacks robust compensation mechanisms,
- Favors corporations over farmers and genetic diversity.
About Seeds Act, 1966
- It was enacted to regulate the quality of certain seeds sold in the market to ensure that farmers receive high-quality seeds.
- Its primary objective is to prevent the sale and distribution of substandard seeds and to maintain purity and germination standards of seeds used for cultivation.
- Aims to regulate the quality of notified kinds or varieties of seeds by setting minimum standards for germination, purity, and labeling.
- It covers the whole of India and applies to the production, certification, sale, and distribution of seeds.
- The Act helps create a climate where seed producers operate effectively while protecting farmers from poor-quality seeds.
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