Answer

Introduction

With surplus seed availability and growing private participation, India needs modern regulation beyond the 1966 regime. The Draft Seeds Bill, 2025 seeks higher seed quality and business efficiency, yet it triggers deep concerns over corporatisation, pricing control, and erosion of farmers’ traditional rights in India’s diverse agrarian landscape.

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Promoting Seed Quality & Ease of Doing Business

• Regulatory Mechanism for Quality Seeds: Ensures quality in import, production, and supply of seeds, improving productivity.
  Eg: Mandatory standards for germination and physical purity ensure better crop outcomes.
• Central & State Seed Committees: Expert-based oversight to address region-specific varietal needs.
  Eg: State Seed Committees advising on registration of seed producers and nurseries.
• Accreditation System to Reduce Compliance Burden: Merit-based Central Accreditation System enables multi-State operations for companies.
• Stronger Seed Testing Infrastructure: Central and State labs enhance reliability of claims like “drought-resistant seeds”.
• Clear Offences and Deterrence: Steep penalties for adulteration and misbranding, strengthens farmer protection.
  Eg: Fines up to ₹30 lakh and imprisonment up to 3 years for major violations.

Concerns Over Seed Sovereignty & Farmers’ Rights

• Risk of Corporatisation of Seed Sector: Centralised control may favor large seed companies over small producers.
  Eg: Farmer unions fear predatory pricing by multinationals.
• Conditional Rights on Seed Saving: Farmers can save/exchange seeds but not sell under brand names → limits livelihood.
• Weaker Farmer-Centric Legal Protections: May conflict with PPVFR Act safeguards protecting indigenous seed rights.
  Eg: Farmers’ groups demand alignment with biodiversity and genetic resource treaties.
• Uniform Standards May Ignore Agro-Ecological Diversity: Tightened quality norms may exclude local landraces not fitting lab-based criteria.
• Centralised Regulatory Architecture: Reduced role of States in local seed governance may hamper grassroots farmer needs.
  Eg: Licensing and trials guided more by national priorities than smallholder realities.

Ensuring Long-Term Agrarian Sustainability

• Synchronise with PPVFR & Biodiversity Laws: Preserve farmers’ historical seed-saving rights in policy design to ensure no dilution of indigenous seed custodianship.
• Cost Safeguards Against Monopolies: Transparent pricing norms to prevent market domination by big corporations.
• Participatory Seed Governance: Representation of farmer organisations in seed committees and State-level decisions.
• Encouraging Local Seed Varieties: Support community seed banks and traditional cultivars for climate resilience.
  Eg: Promote drought-tolerant landraces in semi-arid areas.
• Differentiated Standards for Small Producers: Flexible compliance for traditional seed processors without compromising safety.

Conclusion

The Draft Seeds Bill 2025 is a crucial modernization reform, but must ensure that quality enhancement and ease of business do not compromise India’s seed sovereignty, farmer autonomy, and long-term agrarian resilience.

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