Draft Seeds Bill, 2025

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