What are the key changes proposed in the Draft Seeds Bill 2025 ?
Registration
- All commercial seed varieties and all procurers to be registered
- Seed varieties to undergo Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials
- Exiting varieties under the 1966 Act to be called ‘deemed registered’
Seed Quality, Testing and Traceability
- Meeting standards on purity, germination is essential
- Mandatory labelling on every packet
- Expansion of testing laboratories across the country
- Creation of seed committees to oversee enforcement
- Every seed packet must have QR codes
Innovation and Protection of Farmers’ Rights
- Encourage R&D and support access to new global varieties
- Farmers still have the right to sow, resow, save, use and expand their non-braded seeds
Violations and Penalties
- Serious violations attract fines of up to INR 30 lakhs and imprisonment of up to 3 years
Also Read: https://www.policyprism02.in/2025/11/additions-to-pmfby.html
Quick Analysis and Key Insights
Let’s understand the Seeds Bill 2025 from two different angles-
- India’s Seeds Bill in comparison to global regulations
- Provisions for a small farmer and a big corporation
These angles provide a comprehensive view of the draft seeds bill 2025 beyond what is already provided.
A. Where does India’s Draft Seeds Bill 2025 stand globally?
This section provides a comparative view of how major developed economies like the European Union and the United States handle seeds regulations and how India’s draft seeds bill 2025 fits into this landscape.
Also Read: https://www.policyprism02.in/2025/11/dpdp-2025.html
B. Who benefits more- A small farmer or a big corporation?
Let’s narrate a scenario to understand this well.
A small farmer
Naresh is a small farmer in Hisar district of Haryana.
He buys mustard seeds from a local shop nearby.
Some years the crop bloomed and for some it failed.
The reason for failure could be anything- bad rain, poor irrigation system, low quality of soil or even the fake seeds.
And even if he knows they are fake seeds, he does not have any proof, no labels, no tracing back to the company and hence no compensation.
Now under the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025
Every seed packet has a QR code, a registration number of the seed producer and the dealer, and assurance that the seeds have passed Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials.
If a crop fails due to fake seeds, Naresh can use this evidence to claim compensation which was almost impossible earlier.
A big Farm
Now think of a big farm operating across several districts of Haryana and Punjab, using all the latest technologies, having contracts with seed companies etc.
Now, under the Draft Seeds Bill 2025, they have -
- Digital traceability to track performance
- Higher bargaining power and access to better variety of seeds
So, the question is who benefits the most- a small farmer or a big farm?
The draft Seeds Bill 2025 benefits both small farmers and the big farms, but not uniformly. The small farmer gets protection from fake/spurious seeds while a big farm gains efficiency, bargaining power and better access to seeds.
What are the key concerns surrounding the Draft Seeds Bill 2025?
- Registrations and digital connection could favor big farms and large corporations
- Digital requirements and licensing may pose challenges for small farmers to understand
- In case of crop failure due to fake seeds, the compensation for the farmer is not mentioned in the bill
- Relaxing imports may result in flooding of domestic markets with GM or foreign seeds.
What can be done to strengthen the Draft Seeds Bill 2025?
- First and foremost necessity is to clearly define a compensation mechanism for the crop failure due to spurious seeds. A simple, time-bound, farmer friendly system needs to be mentioned clearly in the Draft Seeds Bill.
- Find alternatives to QR code-based systems. Modern mechanisms are necessary but not at the cost of traditional means. Most of the farming community depends on informal or semi-formal seed provisions.
Conclusion
The Draft Seeds Bills 2025 is a much needed and long-awaited step in increasing transparency and innovation in India’s seed market. The bill promises better seed quality, better traceability and stronger accountability. However, in a country like India where over 70-80 per cent of the farmers are small, any law impacting them should be sensitive to the realities of small holder farmers and India’s agro-diversity. The challenge is to strengthen the regulatory system that protects farmers and closes the gap between big corporations and rural farmers.
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