Source: IE
Context:
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the Centre will soon introduce a stringent law targeting the sale of substandard seeds and spurious pesticides. The decision comes amid widespread farmer complaints during the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan about poor-quality agricultural inputs leading to crop losses.
Key Proposals & Features
- The future law is expected to be a “Seed Act”, with specific provisions for stringent action against sellers of inferior seeds.
- It will include traceability, certification, and quality control provisions to ensure only certified, high-quality inputs reach farmers.
- The law may also amend existing legislation (such as the Seeds Act) to integrate stricter regulatory measures.
- To operationalise sample testing credibility, NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accreditation of testing labs is being emphasised.
- New mechanisms will use random sampling (with QR codes and encoded packaging) to reduce bias and manipulation in testing and enforcement.
Rationale & Drivers
- Farmers have reported significant losses due to fake or substandard seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides in multiple states.
- Current regulatory mechanisms (existing acts, sample testing, licensing) have been weak in enforcement, leaving loopholes for spurious manufacturers.
- The new law aims to restore farmers’ trust, safeguard yields and incomes, and prevent exploitation by unscrupulous dealers.
Challenges & Implementation Risks
- Lab Infrastructure Capacity: Many testing labs currently lack NABL accreditation; upgrading them is resource-intensive.
- Effective Enforcement Across States: Agriculture is a concurrent subject; ensuring uniform compliance across states will be challenging.
- Sampling Integrity & Corruption Risks: Even with random selection, there is risk of tampering or manipulation in field-level sampling.
- Cost and Compliance Burden: Stricter regulation may increase costs for legitimate seed companies, potentially passed on to farmers.
- Legal & Institutional Overlap: The new law must align with related laws (Pesticides Act, Fertilizer Control Order, Seeds Act) to avoid regulatory fragmentation.
Significance & Expected Impact
- If effectively implemented, the law could significantly reduce crop losses, soil health damage, and wastage of farmer investments caused by poor-quality inputs.
- It can strengthen input market discipline, disincentivize fraudulent trade, and encourage quality-focused agriculture.
- The move also signals a stronger farmer-centric regulatory approach, showcasing responsiveness to ground-level grievances.
- Over time, it could help India’s agro-input ecosystem by raising standards, fostering innovation, and leveraging accreditation-based trust.
