Open to stricter laws against substandard seeds: Chouhan

The Centre has expressed its willingness to consider stricter laws aimed at preventing the sale of substandard seeds and pesticides to farmers, which could potentially boost their incomes by 10 to 20 per cent. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated this after a meeting with representatives from the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Independent) in the capital on Tuesday.

Chouhan mentioned that farmers raised several concerns related to their day-to-day operations, including issues surrounding substandard seeds and pesticides, which can negatively impact crop yields and incomes. The minister indicated that the government would explore the possibility of enacting tougher legislation to ensure higher-quality seeds and pesticides reach the market.

Other issues discussed during the meeting included the contamination of crops and land from polluted factory waters, delays in replacing burnt transformers affecting irrigation, and the overall reduction of farm input costs. Additionally, concerns were raised about excessive pesticide use, its health impacts, waterlogging, and farmers’ access to government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The Seeds Act of 1966 currently governs seed quality in India. A Seeds Bill introduced in 2004 sought to regulate seed quality further and mandate the registration of all seed varieties for sale, but it remained unimplemented. The Seeds Bill of 2019, drafted to replace the 1966 law, has also been stalled due to opposition from farmers, who fear losing seed sovereignty and becoming dependent on patent-owning companies.

“We will resolve issues falling under the Central government’s jurisdiction, while those related to state governments will be referred to the respective authorities,” the minister said.