Indian Seed Sector

Context:

India’s seed sector, valued at over ₹35,000 crore, is at the cusp of significant regulatory and policy changes through:

1. A draft Seeds Bill (2025)
2. Proposed amendments to PPVFRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority)
3. Global negotiations under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA / Plant Treaty)

These reforms aim to enhance quality, investment, and innovation in the sector while balancing farmer rights and food security.

1. Draft Seeds Bill, 2025

• Purpose: Replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 to regulate seed quality, facilitate production and supply of high-quality seeds, and improve traceability.
• Key Features:
  • Centralised accreditation system, replacing state-level seed licences.
  • Focus on traceability and quality inspection.
  • Permits foreign organisations to conduct Value of Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials and certify seeds, though final certification remains with ICAR.
• Criticism:
  • Farmer rights, compensation, and price regulation are minimally addressed.
  • Penal provisions are emphasized, but compensation for substandard seeds is missing.
  • States’ powers are curtailed, raising concerns about federal balance in seed governance.
• Positive aspects:
  • Penal provisions and inspection powers are expected to improve compliance.

2. Proposed Amendments to PPVFRA

• Purpose: Protect Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of plant varieties and safeguard farmers’ rights.
• Key Features / Changes:
  • Provisional registration of plant varieties allowed while final certification is pending, reducing risk for breeders.
  • “Innocent infringement” clause preserved to protect farmers using registered varieties unknowingly.
• Industry feedback:
  • Cosmetic and definitional changes only; core structure remains unchanged.
  • Demand to include genetic modification/gene editing under PPVFRA not accepted, remains under environment ministry regulation.
• Concerns:
  • Transparency of committee composition and process questioned by civil society groups.

3. Plant Treaty (ITPGRFA) Negotiations

• Overview:
  • Multilateral treaty for conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
  • India is a signatory since 2004; currently, only 9 crops (26,563 accessions) notified under the Multilateral System (MLS).
• Key Issues:
  • Civil society claims India has shared over 400,000 samples, contradicting government statements.
  • Expansion of MLS could provide Indian farmers access to developed varieties, e.g., South American corn.
  • Data on utilization of MLS accessions for breeding in India remains unclear.
• Potential Impact:
  • Improved access to high-quality foreign genetic material for breeding and hybrids.
  • Could enhance farmer productivity and incomes, contributing to food security.