Brief Context
Context The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the draft Seeds Bill, 2025. Conclusion The Bill seeks to regulate the quality of seeds for sale and import, to facilitate production, and supply of quality seeds. The Ministry informed that the stakeholders and members of the public are invited to submit their comments and suggestions on the draft Bill.
Source Content
Syllabus: GS3/Agriculture
Context
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the draft Seeds Bill, 2025.
Major Highlights of the Bill
- The proposed legislation is intended to replace the existing Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983.
- The Bill seeks to:
- regulate the quality of seeds and planting materials available in the market;
- ensure farmers’ access to high-quality seeds at affordable rates;
- curb the sale of spurious and poor-quality seeds;
- protect farmers from losses;
- liberalise seed imports to promote innovation and access to global varieties;
- and safeguard the rights of farmers, ensuring transparency and accountability in seed supply chains.
- Certification: Every dealer and distributor in seeds shall obtain a registration certificate from the State government before selling, keeping for sale, offering to sell, importing or exporting.
- Existing varieties notified under Seeds Act, 1966, shall be deemed to be registered under the new law.
- The Central Seed Committee: The Committee shall be responsible for implementation of this Act and shall advise the Central Government and the State Governments.
- Constitution of State Seed Committee: It shall consist of a Chairman and other Members not exceeding fifteen, who may be appointed or nominated by the State Government.
- National Register on Seed Varieties: A register of all Kinds or Varieties of seed shall be kept under the control and management of the Registrar wherein all specifications shall be maintained.
- Suspension of Registration: The Central Seed Committee on receipt of a complaint or suo motu, or on the recommendation of a State Government may suspend the registration for such period as it may deem fit.
- Offences: It proposes offences in three categories — trivial, minor and major.
- Major Offences: Any spurious seeds, supply of seeds of non-registered kind or varieties, and doing the Business without registration.
- Penalty: For such offences it proposes a maximum penalty of Rs 30 lakh and imprisonment for a term, which may extend up to three years.
Conclusion
- The Bill seeks to regulate the quality of seeds for sale and import, to facilitate production, and supply of quality seeds.
- The Ministry informed that the stakeholders and members of the public are invited to submit their comments and suggestions on the draft Bill.
Source: TH