Centre to Consult Farmer Bodies Before Drafting Stricter Seed Law

The Union Agriculture Ministry is moving ahead with plans for a stricter Seed Act, designed to curb the sale of fake and substandard seeds that cause significant losses to farmers. Before the draft is finalised, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan will hold a consultation with leaders of major farmer organisations on September 10 at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi.

The proposed law is intended to create a robust regulatory framework to check the activities of what the government describes as "seed mafias." It is expected to include provisions for heavy penalties and imprisonment for companies and traders found selling adulterated or poor-quality seeds. The government has also indicated that the new legislation would mandate high standards of seed quality and a transparent, end-to-end traceability system, while protecting farmers' rights over traditional seed varieties.

The September 10 meeting is designed to incorporate ground-level experiences and suggestions from farmers into the draft legislation. Representatives from several national farmer bodies, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, various factions of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, the All India Kisan Coordination Committee, and the Kisan Mahapanchayat, are expected to attend.

Regional organisations from across the country will also participate, including the Karnataka Raitha Sangha, Telangana Raitha Sangha, Maharashtra's Shetkari Organisation, Gujarat's Khedut Samaj, Tamil Nadu's Vivasayigal Sangam, and groups from Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Kerala.

Chouhan has reiterated the government's commitment to policy-making through dialogue with the farming community. The consultation, scheduled ahead of the upcoming Parliament session, is seen as a step toward finalising a stronger legal framework to protect Indian agriculture from the threat of counterfeit seeds.