The Government is working on a stronger Seed Act to protect farmers from fake and substandard seeds, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan said during a consultation with farmer organisations in New Delhi.

The consultation, held at Krishi Bhawan, saw participation from representatives of farmer organisations from almost all states. Around 20 organisations submitted their views and suggestions on the proposed legislation. Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra and senior government officials were also present.

Chouhan said the existing Seed Act, enacted in 1966, and the Seeds Control Order, introduced in 1983, are no longer adequate to address the challenges facing the seed sector. He noted that agriculture has undergone significant changes over the past six decades, while the entry of fake and poor-quality seeds into the market and gaps in fixing accountability have emerged as key concerns.

According to Chouhan, farmers had sought new Seed and Pesticide Acts during the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. The government had invited suggestions on the draft Seed Act in November-December 2025 and received around 18,000 submissions from farmers and farmer organisations. The latest consultation is aimed at obtaining further direct inputs from organisations working closely with farmers.

The Minister said there would be no haste in finalising the legislation and that no deadline had been fixed. Suggestions from farmers, farmer organisations and other stakeholders would continue to be examined before the government proceeds with the final draft.

Chouhan highlighted that around 70 per cent of seeds currently remain outside the ambit of the existing Seed Act, while procedures relating to seeds vary across states and existing penalties are considered inadequate. The proposed legislation is intended to establish a stronger and uniform regulatory framework to curb the sale of fake and substandard seeds.

The Minister also clarified that the proposed law would not curtail farmers’ existing rights. Farmers would continue to be free to use, exchange and sell traditional and farmers’ varieties of seeds, while registration of traditional seeds would not be mandatory. Farmers could voluntarily register their varieties if they choose. Farmers producing seed for personal use, distribution within their village or even for a company would not be required to undertake digital registration under the proposed provisions.

The proposed legislation categorises offences into three levels. Minor violations would attract a warning for the first offence, while a second offence could invite a penalty of up to Rs 50,000. Deliberate violations, including failure to affix a QR code, failure to provide required data or incorrect branding, would attract a penalty of Rs 1 lakh for the first offence and Rs 2 lakh for the second. Serious offences, including the sale of fake seeds, operating without registration and deliberate fraud, could attract a penalty of up to Rs 30 lakh along with imprisonment.

A key provision of the proposed law is the mandatory registration of all seeds and planting material in a national register. Unregistered seeds would be prohibited from being sold in the market. Seed packets would also carry QR codes to enable farmers to trace the origin, manufacturer, laboratory clearance and movement of seeds through the supply chain.

Chouhan said the absence of an effective traceability mechanism currently makes it difficult to determine responsibility when seeds fail. The proposed system is expected to strengthen accountability by making traceability mandatory.

The legislation would also empower state governments to release new seed varieties on the recommendations of state-level committees, while ensuring compliance with national standards. This would allow states to introduce varieties better suited to local climatic and regional requirements. All varieties would be recorded in a single national online register accessible to both the Centre and states.

The proposed law further provides for a Seed Security Fund in every state, to be managed by the respective state government. Penalties and recoveries collected under the Seed Act would be deposited into these funds. In cases of seed failure or losses suffered by farmers, a verification committee would facilitate compensation within 15 days. Farmers would also retain the right to seek compensation under the Consumer Protection Act.

Chouhan thanked farmer organisation representatives for their inputs and said feasible suggestions would be considered for incorporation into the final draft. He reiterated that the government would continue to frame policies through consultation and dialogue with farmers, with their interests at the centre of the process.

The ongoing consultation is expected to contribute to the creation of a more accountable and effective seed regulatory framework aimed at protecting farmers from fake and substandard seeds.