New Delhi: The Centre is preparing to introduce a new Seed Act aimed at protecting the country’s farmers from the losses caused by fake and substandard seeds by incorporating more stringent punishment for culprits indulging in malpractices, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
The proposed Seed Act is expected to provide for more stringent legal action against companies and traders involved in the sale of fake, adulterated or substandard seeds, including heavy penalties and imprisonment, it said.
Before finalising the proposed legislation, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will hold a high-level consultation with senior leaders of major farmer organisations from across the country on Thursday at Krishi Bhawan in the national capital.
The consultation, convened by the minister, is aimed at incorporating farmers’ ground-level suggestions and concerns directly into the draft seed legislation. The government intends to build a robust and effective regulatory framework to curb the activities of seed mafias and protect farmers from fraudulent and poor-quality seeds, the statement said.
Poor-quality seeds can wipe out months of a farmer’s hard-earned income and years of effort and labour. The government’s stated position is that the new law must ensure the highest standards of seed quality and a transparent, end-to-end traceability system, while also safeguarding farmers’ rights over traditional seeds.
The consultation on Thursday will bring farmer representatives together from across the country. Senior leadership of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, various factions of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC), the Kisan Mahapanchayat, the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, the Gaon Kisan Unnayan, and the Society for Independent Farmers Association (SIFA) will participate in the meeting.
Ground-level farmer representatives from several states will also put forward their views before the Union Agriculture Minister. These include representatives of the Karnataka Raitha Sangha, the Telangana Raitha Sangha, Maharashtra’s Shetkari Organisation, Gujarat’s Khedut Samaj, the National Kisan Progressive Association from Rajasthan and Bihar, Tamil Nadu’s Vivasayigal Sangam, Jharkhand’s Pragatisheel Krishi Manch, and a farmers’ organisation from Kottayam in Kerala, among others.
The consultation, being held ahead of the upcoming Parliament session, is expected to mark a significant step towards creating a stronger regulatory framework and protecting Indian agriculture from the persistent threat of fake and substandard seeds, the statement added.
(IANS)
