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New Delhi: The government is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at regulating the quality of seeds and planting materials in the market, also tackling the issue of substandard and counterfeit seeds by replacing the existing Seeds Act that has been in effect for 60 years. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has drafted the Seeds Bill, 2025, and is seeking public feedback before finalizing it for presentation in Parliament, as stated on Thursday. The deadline for submitting comments is December 11. The Bill is designed to align with current agricultural and regulatory needs, according to the ministry. The proposed legislation aims to replace the Seeds Act of 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order of 1983.
Its objectives include regulating the quality of seeds and planting materials in the market, ensuring farmers have access to high-quality seeds at reasonable prices, curtailing the sale of inferior and counterfeit seeds, protecting farmers from losses, liberalizing seed imports to encourage innovation and access to global varieties, and safeguarding farmers’ rights, all while promoting transparency and accountability in seed supply chains. Regarding enforcement, the draft Bill suggests decriminalizing minor offenses to facilitate ease of doing business and lessen the compliance burden, while still maintaining stringent penalties for serious violations.