It deals about the impact of New seed bill on seed industry and Indian agriculture

2. Mansoon
seeds pvt ltd
"Works toward farmer satisfaction"
K. SAISANTHOSH
PGSAGR6678
DEPARTMENT OF SEED SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, UAS, DHARWAD

3. K. SAISANTHOSH
PGSAGR6678
DEPARTMENT OF SEED SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, UAS, DHARWAD 2

4. ObjECTIvE

5.  INTRODUCTION
 KEY FEATURES OF NEW SEED bILL
 MAjOR CRITICISM ON SEED bILL.
 RECOMMENDATION FOR CHANGES IN SEED bILL
 CASE STUDIES
 FARMERS AND NGO’S OPINION
 CONCLUSION

6. A HISTORY OF INDIAN
SEED REGULATION

8. INTRODUCTION
Seed is the most unassuming potent gift in the
life of the farmer to make his life fruitful.
 Seed is a carrier of new technology and the
medium for translating scientific achievement to
the field.
Indian farmers use common farm produce as
seed.

9. Right to good food and right to safe food.
Recent innovations in the seed sector, entry of
private industry and introduction of seeds of new
varieties and its importation in India.
There is a strong need to promote competition,
strengthen the role of the public sector and
encourage investment in seed production

10. SEED LAWS IN SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES
Country Year
Bangladesh 1997
Bhutan 2000
China 2004
India 1966
Indonesia 1995
Iran 2002
Kyrgyzstan 2002
Nepal 1988
Pakistan 1976
Philippines 1995
Srilanka 2003
Thailand 1992

11. What seed law should have?
 To safeguard the interest of the farmer
and to protect the overall national
agriculture.
 To provide legal protection and space to
seed developers.
 To protect the traditional right of the
farmer.

12. Access to quality seed
• During 2003-04- private industry produced 62.8 lakh
quintals-2010- 109 and public sector produced 69.5 lakh
quintals 171 lakh quintals respectively.
• The private sector has developed more number of crop
hybrids than marketed by the public sector.
• However, the share of the public sector increased from
8% to 19% in cotton, 4% to 40% in maize and 25% to
58% in rice.
• Cotton and maize have been the favourite crops for
development of hybrids by both the public and private
sectors

13. Number of Hybrids in Major Field Crops Developed by the Private and Public
Sector in India
crop Till 2001-02 2002-03 to 2009-10 Total Share of private
sector hybrids
in total hybrids
%
Private
sector
Public
sector
Private
sector
Public
sector
Private
sector
Public
sector
Cotton 150 15 43 10 193 25 88.5
Maize 67 3 36 25 103 28 78.6
Paddy 12 4 11 15 23 19 54.8
Wheat 3 0 3 0 100.0
Pearl millet 60 6 22 7 82 13 86.3
Sorghum 41 5 12 8 53 13 80.3
Pigeon pea 1 2 1 2 33.3
Soybean 2 2 0 100.0
Sunflower 35 6 13 10 48 16 75.0
Jute 23 0 23 0.0
Mesta 11 0 11 0.0
Castor 4 9 4 9 30.8
Green gram 1 1 0 100.0
Mustard 11 1 11 1 91.7
Safflower 2 0 2 0.0
Total 365 39 159 123 524 162 76.4
Source: seed association of India, 2002; ICAR research institutes’ websites; annual reports and websites of major seed companies (JK agri-
genetics, Nath seeds, Monsanto India, Syngenta, Mahyco, Adventa, Nuzhiveedu, Indo-american, Ankur, Rasi and Ganga Kaveri Seeds)

14. Seed requirement and gaps in demand for quality seed in india
Gaps in Demand for Quality Seed ( lakh quintals)
Crop Seed
Requirement
(lakh quintals)
Quality seed
distributed
(lakh quintals)
Ratio of seed Distributed/
Requirement (column
2/column 1)
Scenario I
(SRR=25%)
Scenario II
(SRR=33%)
Scenario III
(SRR=100%)
Paddy 323.79 58.18 0.18 22.77 49.75 265.61
Wheat 367.71 74.83 0.20 17.10 47.74 292.88
Maize 18.77 7.94 0.42 -3.25 -1.68 10.83
Sorghum 10.20 2.41 0.24 0.14 0.99 7.79
Pearl millet 4.93 2.20 0.45 -0.97 -0.56 2.73
Barley 8.02 1.62 0.20 0.38 1.05 6.40
Ragi 1.90 0.25 0.13 0.22 0.38 1.65
Cereals 735.32 147.43 0.20 36.40 97.68 587.89
Gram 56.39 8.60 0.15 5.50 10.20 47.79
Pigeon pea 5.43 1.09 0.20 0.27 0.72 4.34
Green gram 6.37 1.23 0.19 0.36 0.89 5.14
Black gram 7.22 1.37 0.19 0.43 1.04 5.85
Lentil 7.25 0.59 0.08 1.22 1.83 6.66
Pulses 82.67 12.88 0.16 7.79 14.68 69.79
Rapeseed/mustard 3.81 1.63 0.43 -0.68 -0.36 2.18
Groundnut 64.02 15.90 0.25 0.10 5.44 48.12
Sunflower 1.12 0.80 0.71 -0.52 -0.43 0.32
Soybean 71.29 20.89 0.29 -3.07 2.87 50.40
Safflower 0.41 0.09 0.22 0.01 0.05 0.32
Sesame 1.06 0.18 0.17 0.09 0.17 0.88
Niger seed 0.37 na na na na na
Oilseeds 142.07 39.49 0.28 -3.97 7.87 102.58
Cotton 3.65 2.27 0.62 -1.36 -1.05 1.38
Jute 57.17 0.28 0.005 14.01 18.78 56.59
fibres 60.83 2.55 0.04 12.66 17.73 58.28
na= not available, source: Authors calculations based on commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (2015) Ministry
of Agriculture (2015-296).

15. Demand for quality seed
• minimum SRR of 25% at the national level, there
is a deficit of 36.4 (cereals) 7.8 (pulses) and 12.7
(fibre crops) lakh qtls.
• SRR=33% the gap is 112.4 lakh quintal for food
grains and 17.7 lakh quintal for fibre crops.
• SRR=100% 587.9 (cereals) 69.8 (pulses) 102.6
(oilseeds) 56.9 (jute) and 1.4 (cotton) lakh
quintals.
• In this scenario, seed requirement for paddy and
wheat is Estimated to be 265.6 and 292.9 lakh
quintals, respectively.

16. STATES wheat paddy maize jowar bajra gram urd moong arhaar GN RM soybeansunflower cotton jute
Andhra P 87.21 62.6 85 59.25 50.23 78.01 62.18 100
Karnataka 12 41.04 29.54 41.5 31.47 36.34 21.09 13.03 28.82 89.06 30.43 36.41
Tamilnadu 67.98 16.44 3.68 89.72 46.74 21.53 94.87 12.05 36.68 87.9
Kerala 74.72
Gujarath 26.5 38.44 25.25 38.89 35.33 30.85 4.07 100 65
Maharashtr
a 39.57 45.85 93.93 13.5 98.6 29.97 50.82 35.12 30.74 2.69 57.76 60.95
Rajasthan 30.45 7.34 52.66 21.89 57.28 12.54 6.94 18.35 21.7 6.05 85.1 28.33 58.33
MP 30.26 16.85 47.55 20.98 73.23 9.94 10.35 21.26 17.21 0.97 42.86 30.26
Uttar P 40.85 31.61 30.48 24.21 71.03 16.59 20.8 25.49 18.54 63.83 45.12 73 73.17
Haryana 33.8 30.48
punjab 38.76 52.78 99.18 77.08 63.8
HP 26.86 96.87 33.78 95.23 93.75 77.5 83.33 28.57
J&K 26.05 22.41 18.16 0.66 42.89 41.87
SRR for some of the important crops in different states

17. SRR for some of the important crops in different states
state wheat paddy maize jowar bajra gram urd moong arhaar GN RM soybean sunflowercotton jute
Orissa 38.95 21.65 13.2 5.68 3.52 2.41 4.75 32.41 32.42 64.03 65.67 28.53
West Bengal 43.37 33.67 29.04 26.91 35.61 33.67 45 40.38 41.49 78.98
Bihar 34.8 38.02 15.76 18.51 20.24 11.27 47.38
Chattisgarh 33.71 34.33 21.23 15.9 8.05 3.65 20.28 3.37 24.76 64.44
Assam 46.82 22.12 79.74 100 35.56 26.18 51.11
Uttarakhand 31.64 13.23 1.82 48.36 9 19.07 8.79
Jharkand 31.92 17.21 7.27 1.29 6.98 21.21 23.58 20.5
Arunachal P 28.37 7.36 12.9 38.91 51.42 79.71 70.02 36.36 67.53 93.33
Thripura 73.93 36.22 81.3 57.32 29.19 56.42
Manipur 59.58 16 100 95.24 38.57 35.71 27.47
Sikkim 40 20 14 75 6
Mizoram 37.5 64 40
Meghalaya 23.5 30.65 61.86
Nagaland 12.4 36.22 26.25 34.45 6.76

18. SRR for some of the important crops in the country
CROP SRR
WHEAT 32.55
PADDY 40.42
MAIZE 56.58
JOWAR 23.85
BAJRA 60.4
GRAM 19.35
URD 34.41
MOONG 30.29
ARHAAR 22.16
GROUNDNUT 22.51
RAPESEED/MUSTARD 78.88
SOYBEAN 52.75
SUNFLOWER 32.47
COTTON 33
JUTE 42.41

19. Percentage share in distribution of certified and labelled
seed by public and private sectors
Governance And Policy Spaces (GAPS) Project Centre for Economic and Social Studies-2012

20. Google maps

24. • ECONOMIC TIMES DECEMBER 9TH
2012:
• 7000 CRORES – INDIAN SEED INDUSTRY BUSINESS.
• ANNUAL GROWTH RATE – 15%.
• BY 2015 IT REACHES TO 63 MILLION QUINTALS SEED PRODUTION
• ACCORDING TO GOOGLE BOOK:
• 2008- 5200 CRORES
• 2009- 6000 CRORES
• 2010- 7500 CRORES
• 2011- 9000 CRORES
• 2012- 10500 CRORES
• 2013- 12000 CRORES
• 2014- 13500 CRORES
• INDIAN SEED INDUSTRY TO GROW BY 53% BY 2015 ASSOCHAM

25. What GOI says about bill?
• Ministry of Agriculture itself explains that “in
response to the changes that have taken place in
the seeds sector, the existing Seeds Act, 1966 is
proposed to be replaced by a suitable legislation
to, inter alia, create an enabling climate for
growth of the seed industry, enhance the seed
replacement rates for various crops, boost the
export of seeds and encourage the import of
useful germplasm.

26. The Bill has four basic components:
1. Allowing the Government to control and
provide direction to seed industry.
2. Facilitating seed producers, including
private sector, to produce better quality
seeds;
3. Facilitating seed sellers to market seeds
efficiently leading to creation of an efficient
seed supply chain; and
4. Helping the farmers to avail and access
better quality seeds at right time and
affordable prices.

27. Salient features of Seeds Bill 2004
Aims at promoting the production and supply of quality
of seeds and also to regulate its quality for sale, export
and import.
To comply with W.T.O. obligations and to protect the
farmers and small scale agriculturist from monopolistic
activities of commercial seed producers and seed
suppliers.
Seed bill 2004 seek to retain the CSC as national apex
body.
Compulsory registration of every variety offered for the
sale.

28. The Bill does not restrict the farmers right.
All the registered varieties and seed producers,
distributors and vendors have to disclose the
expected performance of the seeds under certain
given conditions.
The Bill also introduced Central and State Seed
Testing Laboratories with required number of
seed analysts.
Import of seeds would be subject to the Plant
Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India)
Order 2003

29. The Bill allows self certification of seeds.
Every seed producer and dealer and
horticulture nursery must be registered with
the concerned State Government.
The transgenic variety of seed must get
clearance as per the provisions of
Environmental Protection Act, 1986.
The Bill proposes to increase the penalties to
regulate the seed business.

30. Transgenic varieties are allowed for provisional
registration for two years based on the
information furnished on multilocation trial.
Seeds with Genetic Use Restriction Technology or
other like technology prohibited from
registration.
Monitoring of the act at state level was carried
out by the seed inspectors with enlarged powers
for search, confiscation and prosecution.

31. Comparison of seeds bill 2004 and seeds act,1966Particulars Seed bill 2004 Seeds acts, 1966
Definition Agriculture includes
horticulture, forestry,
cultivation of plantation,
medicinal and aromatic
plants
Agriculture include horticulture.
Registration All seeds for sale must be
registered.
Only varieties notified by the
government need to be registered.
Seed
committee
Constitutes central and state
seed committee. A
registration sub-committee
would register the seeds of all
varieties.
Constitutes central seed
committee. The central govt. after
consulting with CSC, may notify a
seed in order to regulate the
quality of seed.

32. Transgenic
varieties
Special provision for the
registration of transgenic
varieties of seeds.
No provisions for registration of transgenic
varieties.
Compensation to
the farmer
Provides for compensation to
farmer under the –
consumer protection Act, 1986
No specific provision for compensation
mentioned in the act.
Export and import All seed imports are regulated
by the Plant Quarantine
(regulation of import into
India) Order,2003 and
Destructive Insect and Pests
Acts,1914
A person is restricted from exporting or
importing notified variety of seed unless it
conforms to minimum limits of germination etc.
Penalties 5000 to 25000Rs for sale of
misbranded and not
registered seeds.
For giving false information -
6 month prison or fine up to
5000
For the first offence fine up to 500Rs if same
offence is repeated – 6 month prison and / or
fined up to 1000

33. Comparison of seeds Bill,2004 and PPVFR Act, 2001Particulars Seed bill 2004 PPVFR, 2001
Definition Farmers means any person who
cultivates crops either by cultivating
the land himself or through any other
person but does not include any
individual, company, trader or dealer
who engages in the procurement and
sale of seeds on a commercial basis.
Farmer means any person who
cultivates crops by cultivating the
land himself or cultivates crops by
directly supervising the cultivation
or land through any other person or
conserves or preserves, jointly with
any other person any wild spp. Or
traditional varieties through
selection and identification of their
useful properties.
Registration Establishes a registration sub-
committee, which would maintain a
national register of seeds.
Establishes a plant varieties
Registry, which would maintain a
National Register of plant Varieties.
No specification regarding parentage
of variety
Specific details such as a complete
passport data of the parental lines
from which a variety has been
derived.
15 years for annual / biennial crops
18 years for perennial crops
On expiry registration can be renewed
for a similar period.
15 years for annual / biennial crops
18 years for perennial crops
Registration cannot be renewed.

34. Farmers rights A farmer can save, use,
exchange, share or sell his farm
seeds and planting material. He
cannot sell the seed under a
brand name. seed sold have to
confirm to the MSCS
Farmer is entitled to save, use, sow,
resow, exchange, share or sell his
farm produce including seed of variety
protected under the act. He cannot
sell branded seed of a variety
protected under act.
Compensation If seed fail to perform the to
expected standards, the farmer
can claim compensation from
the dealer, distributor or vendor
under the consumer protection
Act,1986
Farmer can claim the compensation in
prescribed manner before the
protection of Plant Varieties and
Farmer’s Rights Authority
Penalties 5000 to 25000Rs for sale of
misbranded and not registered
seeds.
For giving false information - 6
month prison or fine up to 5000
Penalty for applying false
denomination to variety is imprisoned
up to 2 years and / or a fine between
5000 to 5lakh. Penalty for falsely
representing the variety as registered
is imprisonment up to three years and
/ or a fine between 1lakh to 5lakh or
both. Penalty for subsequent offences
is imprisonment up to 3 years and / or
a fine between Rs.2lakh to 20lakh.

35. seed bill 2004 amendments to seed bill 2004
Exemption of
farmers
1. The Bill exempted the
farmers from the requirement
of compulsory registration.
However, it stipulated that a
farmer cannot sell any seed
under a brand name and any
seed sold by the farmer has to
conform to the prescribed
minimum limits of
germination, physical purity
and genetic purity
2. Defines a farmer as any
person who cultivates crops
either by cultivating the land
himself or through any other
person but does not include
any individual, company,
trader or dealer who engages
in the procurement and sale of
seeds on a commercial basis.
1. The farmer can sow, exchange or sell his farm
seeds and planting material without having to
conform to the prescribed minimum limits of
germination, physical purity and genetic purity
(as required by registered seeds). However,
farmers cannot sell any seed under a brand
name
2. Expands the definition of a farmer by
including any person who conserves jointly with
any person any traditional varieties or adds
value to such traditional varieties. Excludes
farmers from the definition of a producer
Comparison of seed bill 2004 and the amendments to seed bill 2004

36. seed bill 2004 amendments to seed bill 2004
Transgenic varieties 1. No transgenic variety of seed
would be registered unless the
applicant has obtained clearance
under the provisions of the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
(EPA).
2. Allows transgenic variety of seeds
to be registered provisionally for
two years before clearance under
EPA has been obtained
1. In addition to the requirement under the Bill, the
registered seeds have to conform to specified standards
for transgenic events and corresponding traits. The label
of a seed container to indicate the above information
2. The provision for provisional registration has been
eliminated
Registration of seeds Any type of seed for sale has to be
registered with the Registration
Sub-committee. The registration is
valid for 15 years for annual/
biennial crops and 18 years for
perennial crops
Amends the registration time limit. The registration is
valid for 10 years for annual/ biennial crops and 12 years
for long
duration perennial crops. However, the provision for
reregistration exists
compensation The Bill provides that in case the
seed fails to keep its quality as
promised by the seed producers,
distributors and vendors of all
registered varieties, the farmer can
claim compensation from the
dealer, distributor or vendor under
the Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Amends the provision by setting up a Compensation
Committee where farmers can claim compensation if
seeds do not meet the expected standards

37. seed bill 2004 amendments to seed bill 2004
Central seeds
committee
1. Central Seeds Committee
may specify minimum standard
of germination, physical purity,
and genetic purity applicable
to registered seeds
2. Composition of Committee
includes a Chairperson and 7
ex-officio members and other
members nominated by the
Central Government
1. Amends the clause by stating that the central
government might notify minimum standard on
recommendation of the Central Seeds
Committee
2. Added 3 ex-officio members: Director,
National Centre for Aromatic and Medicinal
Plants, Chairperson, PPVFRA Act (2001) and
Chairperson, National Bio-diversity Authority
Seed certification
agencies
Any seller of seeds can get the
seed certified by the State
Seed Certification Agency or
any other accredited
certification agency; self-
certification may also be
permitted
to accredited agencies. The
accreditation shall be done by
the CSC in consultation with
state government and state
seed committee
Amends the provision by allowing only
organisations owned or controlled by the
Central or state government to be accredited.
The accreditation can be done only by the state
government with prior approval of the Central
Government

38. seed bill 2004 amendments to seed bill 2004
Power of seed
inspector
The seed inspector does not
require a warrant to take
samples of any variety from a
seed seller; send the samples
for analysis to the seed
analyst; enter and search any
place
where he has reason to believe
that an offence has been
committed; and break open
any container of seeds or any
door where any such seed may
be kept for sale
The provision has been amended by adding that
the prior written authorisation of the District
Magistrate is required by the Seed Inspector if
he wants to enter and search a place
Seed producers
and processors
Every seed producing and
processing unit has to furnish
periodic returns on the
quantity of seeds produced or
processed by the same to the
Seed Certification Agency
Added that this information has to be furnished
to the state governments also

39. SEED BILL 2004 – CHANGES PROPOSED BY STANDING
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE:
Ramgopal Yadav submitted his report on
20.11.2006.
PPV&FR Act 2001 be made fully operative
before the Seed Bill 2004 is passed.
The Bill should not impose a condition that the
farmers seeds also must conform to the
minimum standards.
The Committee suggested for expansion of the
definition of the “farmers”.

40. • The Committee discourages for private
participation in the Seed Certification
• Introduction of price regulatory mechanism.
• Contravention of provisions of law as a fine
of Rs.50,000/- to Rs.2,00,000/- and
imprisonment up to 3 months.
• Supply of spurious and mis-branded seeds
must be an amount of Rs. 2,00,000/- to
Rs.10,00,000/- and imprisonment of 3-12
months.

42. • Introduction of provisions banning the
print misleading pictures on seed
packages.
• Introduction of machinery to deal with the
compensation matters in the Bill itself.
• Introduction of Seed Crop Insurance.
• Certification agency should also make
liable in the compensation process.

43. • Effective regulatory machinery over the powers of
the seed inspector.
• number of farmers’ representatives must be
increased.
• Reduction of the registration period 10 and 12 years
instead of 15 and 18 years.
• Seed testing should includes seed germination and
yield testing and there should be a pre-registration
requirement.
• Provision for declaring the origin of the variety and
its parental details by the person sought for
registration

44. Why seed price regulation is important?
• Three hybrids of Bt cotton were
introduced in India by MMB in 2002.
• The prices were fixed at Rs. 1800 per
packet of 450 g which can be used to sow
in an acre.
• In 2005 Rasi and Ankur seeds were asked
to pay Rs 1200 on every packet initially.

45. • AP govt filed a case with MRTP Commission against
MMB.
• AP state government used its power of granting trade
licenses under Seed Control Order.
• The prices of Bt cotton seed were fixed at Rs 750 and Rs
925 in 2006 for Bt 1 and Bt 2 respectively. This was
further reduced to Rs 650 and Rs 750 (2008).
• The industry quickly changed the recommendation from
one packet to two packets, which quickly doubled their
business.
• MMB was collecting royalty of Rs 150 and Rs 225 on
Bollgard-I and Bollgard-II

47. • In 2010, NSAI demanded that they should
be allowed to increase the seed costs of Bt
cotton by Rs. 200/packet.
• Farmers across the country earned Rs
25,000 crores.
• Farmers in AP realized Rs 4,000 crores.
• The farmers income, which was at Rs
16,000 in 2006, has increased to Rs 36,000
in 2009.

48. View of the AP, Kerala, MP, Gujarat, Orissa Govts.
• Government felt that some of the provisions of the Seed
Bill 2004 are not farmer friendly.
• Mostly unsatisfactory as to the provisions of the powers
conferred upon the State Governments.
• The Bill does not provide any independent powers to the
State Governments to deal with or regulate the seed
producers and also with regards to registration of seeds.
• They felt that there must be definite provisions for price
regulation in the Bill and without that no purpose would
be achieved under the Act to protect the farmers.
• Fixation of maximum retail price

49. VIEWS OF CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (C.S.A.)
AND ITS SUGGESTIONS ON THE SEED BILL 2004:
• Any legislation on seeds should first and foremost look at
rights of the farmers and they should be protected.
• Facilitative climate for growth should not be at the
expense of the farmers.
• Without resolving issues related to ownership of seed
resources, boosting exports would only facilitate and
legitimize bio-piracy.
• Appropriate mechanisms to estimate and deliver
adequate compensation should be defined.

50. • It recommends the system of licensing
instead of registration.
• It also recommends for decentralization of
powers between the Centre and the States.
• License should be granted for each variety
between 3 to 5 years and the same is
renewable basing on the performance.
• Introduction of required provisions for seed
insurance.

51. Steps to taken to provide seeds at reasonable price to the farmers
• The SSC must be provided with powers to collect the
data and review the prices of the seeds registered
and sold after their approval.
• The Central Government should frame seed price
control order by fixing a maximum retail price.
• The State should have an apex body to regulate the
price of the seeds
• Any such royalty/trait fee on all traits/patents
should not exceed 5% of the total cost of the seeds.

52. • Seed bill should have a liability clause.
• The role of the State Government must be
specified in the Bill.
• Companies selling the spurious and substandard
seeds should be blacklisted.
• The provision for re-registration prescribed
under the Bill must be deleted from the Bill.
• All imports of seeds must under go mandatory
seed testing process including multi vocational
trials to ensure its adoptability to the Indian
conditions.

53. • Seed imports should only be allowed after pest
risk analysis, local adoptability.
• Set up of time bound disposal of complaints and
fast track arbitration authority accessible to the
farmers and such a body is essential to set up.
• The Panchayat has to be given free role in
determining the losses of crops, fixing the
compensation, value of the expected yield and
cost of the cultivation.

55. Case studies

56. Parliamentary committee
• Prof. Ramgopal Yadav- Chairman
• Krishan Bir Chaudhary, head of the India’s largest
farmers’ organisation—Bharat Krishak Samaj
• Vandana Shiva of Navdanya,
• Suman Sahai of Gene Campaign,
• S. Ramachandran Pillai and K Varadharajan of CPI(M)’
farmer’s wing,
• Kolli Nageswara Rao and Chittar Singh of CPI’s farmers’
wing,
• Manavendra Kachole, Nikhade and Govind Joshi of the
Pune-based Shetkari Sangatana and representatives of
the seed industry.

57. Seed bill II: Big business zindabad…..
Shalini bhutani

58. SEED QUALITY:
•The reality is that HYVs displaced traditionally
grown local varieties because of the policy
environment made loans and extension services.
•The effect of prescribing seed certification and
seed quality that meets industry standards is that
it keeps farmers’ seeds out of the market.
• It also discourages small seed dealers and
producers who may not be able to meet the costs
of prescribed registration and certification.

59. HYBRID SEEDS:
•The Government of India is allocated around US$86.3
million to push a Green Revolution in India’s eastern
states.
•In July 2010, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad
Pawar announced the formation of a central level task
force to push hybrid rice varieties in the country.
•The taskforce will explore public private partnerships
for production, procurement and marketing of seeds.
•The country’s NFSM is also pushing hybrid seeds.

60. IMPORT AND EXPORT:
•Under the new Seed Bill, all imported seeds will
need to be registered.
•The new Bill does not make any provisions, such as
for phytosanitary standards which still rely on
existing legislation.
•Seeds for export will also need to be registered
•MAHYCO itself has exported several thousand
hybrid onion seeds to Sri Lanka, after permissions
given by the EXIM Committee for Export and Import
of Seeds and Planting Materials

61. FORMAL MARKET:
•Seed Bill spells a clear message to small farmers to
stay out of the formal seed market.
•Thus, no farmer can brand his/her seeds and enter the
seed trade.
•In reality, under the proposed law, only formal
breeders and big businesses can get their seeds
registered.
SEED SOVEREIGNTY:
•As long as traditional varieties and farmers’ seeds are
supported, the freedoms of farmers can hope to stay
alive.

62. Growing controversy over seed
patents in India
Deeptiman Tiwary
The proposed seeds bill will destroy the Indian
farmers right to livelihood and fruits of the earth.
Why does nobody appeared bothered?

63. • "It is a Bill drafted under pressure from seed
manufacturing MNCs like Monsanto.
• The only aim of this Bill is to force the farmer
to buy seeds from the market," says Vandana
Shiva of RFSTE.
• Who will ascertain these qualities when a
farmer goes to sell his seeds has been left
unanswered.
• "The so-called exemption given to farmers in
the Bill merely allows saving and sowing in his
own farm. industry.” S. Bala Ravi.

64. • Few farmers will sell, save or share it.
• This will only lead to widespread
corruption and farmers will have to bear
the brunt," says Shiva. Former ADG, (IPR)
of the (ICAR).
• The industry has been angry with the
Farmers Rights Act which recognises the
farmers rights.
• The government is helping it at the cost of
its own people.

65. • Any seed company may establish an institution
tomorrow and start certifying its own seeds. But
who will monitor them is the big question, says
Shiva.
• Today, there are over 400 odd seed trading
companies in India.
• Few of those who have R&D do not have the
technical and financial strength to survive
competition.
• Nearly a dozen seed companies can be called
majors in their scale of operation today.

66. • Mergers have already started (Monsanto
India holds 26 percent stake in Mahyco,
Indias biggest seed company).
• Surely, this could become yet another
Coca-Cola story.
• This could be the story yet again rewritten
of the Indian seed industry.

67. • Farmers should be allowed to save and exchange
any seed they cultivate — branded or
unbranded.” Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary, leader of
the Bharat Krishak Samaj.
• “There is no need to hurry the passage of the Bill
in Parliament. A long debate is necessary. The GS
of the CPI’s farmers’ wing, Atul Kumar Anjaan.
• Disclosure of parentage should be made
mandatory for companies.
• Registration period for seeds on the lines of
PVP&FR Act without scope for automatic
extension, Dr. Suman Sahai.

68. India's new seed bill
Dr. Devinder Sharma
Pressure for seed Potato imports
•Exertion of tremendous pressure on the GOI to
allow the bulk import of potato varieties, from the
EU and US, for seed prdn.
•The government was on the brink of caving in to
the seed industry's demands to allow the imports
of potato seed.
•The timely intervention from the DG of the ICAR
has so far prevented such imports.

69. • Seed Inspectors, makes farmers anxious
about how their small local sales, for instance
in the village fairs, would be regulated.
• A farmers breeding criteria are very broad.
• Farmers can, therefore, sell harvested seed
which is a registered variety.
• If the registered seed is also PVP protected
then the farmer is again prohibited by the
PVP legislation from selling branded seed in
the market

70. Transnational companies in India
1. Monsanto
2. Bayer Crop Science
3. Syngenta
4. Advanta India Limited (formerly ITC Zeneca Ltd.)
5. Hicks-Muse-Tate Inc.
6. Emergent Genetics
7. Dow Agro
8. Novartis
9. Bioseed Genetics International Inc.
10.Tokita Seed Co.

72. • Asia is becoming the largest seed market in the
world and is the biggest agricultural trading partner
for the US.
• The US Department of Commerce has identified
India as one of the world's top ten "Big Emerging
Markets".
• China the largest seed producer, India is in second
place.
• The US government is taking special interest in the
economic and legislative reforms in this part of the
world, as in India it is keen to encourage conformity
to US standards and to simplify seed trade.

74. INDIA: Patented Seeds Edge out Local Varieties
• ''Earlier, there were no 'outside' fertilisers or seeds.
There were no (plant) diseases and we were happy",
recalls 83-year-old Chandrappa.
• "The 'Raitha Sangha' (a political party floated by
farmers) has been telling us about how the new Seed Act
will harm us, but no one is bothering," says 50-year-old
Rajappa, Byalahalli.
• "I am not worried; we will go buy seed from the govt, if
we don't have our own", says farmer Eashappa Desai at
Asundi village. (large farmer-40 acres).
• "I can't worry about what will happen because I am not
saving seed for tomorrow-V.S. Patil of Ukkunda village.
Who knows, there might be a tsunami before that.

75. • It is difficult to make the farmer see long-term interests
in this scenario- Gopal Rao Girish, GM of AE in the Green
Agro Pack.
• The farmer's mind-set of immediate returns without
worrying about consequences is also responsible for the
loss of interest in local seeds. B.M. Devaiah, MD,GAP.
• "The government needs to pay urgent attention to the
lack of research in indigenously produced seeds in
today's market.
• Director, Namdhari Seed, V.S. Rao view that farmers are
in a hurry, not giving the land adequate rest. "It's all
related to cashing in on external help factors like
fertilizer subsidies and high market-rates.

76. • Some of the facts

77. • India's industrial policy in 1991 has led to a decline in
public sector research and production of seeds.
• The volume of public-bred hybrids came down to
38,704 tons in 1998-99 from 59,671 tons in 1990-91
while private investment in research simultaneously
quadrupled between 1986 and 1998.
• AgrEvo, Monsanto and Nunhems has made foreign
corporate dominance in Indian agriculture.
• Monsanto's recent acquisition of vegetable giant,
the US-based Seminis Seeds, has now made it the
world's largest seed company.

78. • The seed bill allows dominance of foreign and private
companies through such methods as 'contract farming'
• "We get more money from this crop than from ragi (a
local cereal),'' say Siddesh and his mother Pushpavati
who growing gherkins on a one acre plot at Kattehalli,
near the adjoining district of Davangere.

79. T. Ramanaiah
• A cotton farmer from Andhra Pradesh fighting a
case to get compensation for very poor yields in
the District Consumer Court.
• Monsanto was only willing to pay for failure to
germinate and for absence of the genetic purity
promised by the company, and not for yield
losses

80. Justice P.A.Chowdary
• "So far climate has been considered as the most
unpredictable variable affecting the agricultural
sector.
• But, the influence of global market forces,
whose behaviour is always not amenable to
prediction and control, has become another
factor affecting the progress and wellbeing of
farmers"

83. conclusion
• The right to food is the slogan of the
day and also the slogan of the United
Nations.
• A country should promote
innovation in both the commercial
seed system and also in the farmer
seed system.
• We hope the Parliament with its
wide vision will think about farmer
friendly seed legislation.

84. • The government need to collaborate
with indigenous seed enterprises, by
providing the research structure and
leave field application to industry.
• "Both get credit whilst farmers'
interests are looked after.
• It's a win-win situation.''