Centre plans tough new seed law; Shivraj Singh Chouhan to consult farmer leaders on September 10
New Delhi: The Centre is preparing a stringent new Seed Act to crack down on fake and substandard seeds, with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan set to seek direct feedback from farmer organisations before the proposed legislation is finalised.
Chouhan will hold a nationwide consultation with senior representatives of major farmer organisations on September 10 at 4pm at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, as the government moves to strengthen safeguards against seed fraud and protect farmers from crop losses.
The proposed legislation is expected to introduce heavier penalties and imprisonment for companies and traders found selling fake, adulterated or substandard seeds.
The government wants the new law to establish stronger quality standards and an end-to-end seed traceability mechanism. It also plans to ensure that farmers’ rights over traditional seeds are protected.
Poor-quality seeds can result in crop failure, leaving farmers to bear the financial burden despite months of investment, labour and preparation. The proposed law is aimed at closing regulatory gaps and curbing what the government has described as the activities of “seed mafias”.
The September 10 meeting will bring together representatives of farmer organisations from different regions and ideological groups.
Senior representatives of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Union factions, All India Kisan Coordination Committee, Kisan Mahapanchayat, Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, Gaon Kisan Unnayan and Society for Independent Farmers Association are expected to participate.
Farmer representatives from several states, including Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Kerala, will also present their concerns and suggestions.
The consultation comes ahead of the upcoming Parliament session and is being positioned as a key step in finalising the proposed seed legislation.
Chouhan has said the government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, is committed to framing agricultural policies through dialogue and consensus with farmers.
The Centre hopes the consultation will help incorporate ground-level experiences into the proposed law and create a stronger regulatory framework to protect farmers from fraudulent and poor-quality seeds.
