The Indian government has taken a significant step toward transforming the agricultural sector by proposing comprehensive new legislation to protect farmers from substandard seeds and ensure access to high-quality planting materials at reasonable prices.
New Legislation to Replace Outdated Laws
The Centre has circulated a draft Seeds Bill, 2025 that aims to replace the existing Seeds Act of 1966 and the Seeds Control Order of 1983. This proposed legislation represents a major overhaul of India's seed regulatory framework, addressing contemporary challenges faced by the agricultural community.
The agriculture ministry released the draft bill on Thursday as part of the pre-legislative consultation process, inviting comments and suggestions from stakeholders until December 11. The final version will be prepared after examining all feedback received during this crucial consultation period.
Key Provisions and Timeline
The Seeds Bill, 2025 is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the upcoming winter session in December. However, parliamentary approval is anticipated during the Budget session early next year, marking a carefully planned legislative journey.
The comprehensive draft legislation establishes detailed guidelines for seed production and mandates registration for dealers and distributors involved in seed sales. It also covers seed processing units, certification agencies, plant nurseries, and the establishment of central and state seed testing laboratories to maintain quality standards across the supply chain.
Balanced Enforcement Approach
In a significant move aligned with the government's ease of doing business initiatives, the draft bill proposes to decriminalize minor offences to reduce compliance burdens. However, the legislation maintains strong provisions to effectively penalize serious violations that threaten agricultural productivity and farmer welfare.
Major offences will continue to attract strict penalties, including fines ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh and imprisonment of up to three years. These severe consequences will apply to serious violations such as supplying spurious seeds, distributing non-registered seeds, and operating seed businesses without proper registration.
Comprehensive Protection Framework
The proposed legislation serves multiple crucial objectives, including regulating seed quality in the market, protecting farmers from financial losses due to poor quality planting materials, and liberalizing seed imports to promote innovation and access to global seed varieties.
The bill emphasizes safeguarding farmers' rights while ensuring transparency and accountability throughout seed supply chains. This comprehensive approach addresses long-standing concerns about the availability of authentic, high-yielding seeds that can significantly impact agricultural productivity and farmer incomes across India.
This legislative initiative comes at a critical time when Indian agriculture faces multiple challenges, and quality seed availability remains fundamental to achieving food security and sustainable farming practices. The proposed Seeds Bill, 2025 represents the government's commitment to modernizing agricultural regulations and empowering the farming community with better resources and stronger legal protections.
