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Centre seeks public feedback on draft seeds bill, 2025 to replace six-decade-old law
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Saturday, 15 November, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has invited public comments on the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025, a comprehensive legislation proposed to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983.
The new Bill has been designed to align with modern agricultural practices and regulatory needs, aiming to ensure that farmers have access to high-quality seeds at affordable prices, while also protecting their rights and promoting innovation in the seed sector.
According to the Ministry, the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025 focuses on regulating the quality of seeds and planting materials in the market, curbing the sale of spurious and substandard seeds, and liberalising seed imports to encourage access to improved global varieties. It also seeks to bring greater transparency, accountability, and traceability in the seed supply chain.
In a key reform move, the draft legislation proposes the decriminalisation of minor offences to promote ease of doing business and reduce compliance burdens on stakeholders, while ensuring strict penalties for major violations.
The Bill also emphasises the protection of farmers’ interests, ensuring they are not exploited by unscrupulous seed dealers and have access to reliable and certified seeds to enhance productivity and profitability.
As part of the pre-legislative consultation process, the Ministry has uploaded the draft Bill and the prescribed feedback format on its official website https://agriwelfare.gov.in.
All stakeholders, including farmers, seed producers, industry bodies, and the general public, have been invited to share their comments and suggestions via email at jsseeds-agri@gov.in by December 11, 2025. The feedback will help shape a modern, transparent, and farmer-friendly seed law for India’s agricultural future.
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