Latest news with #SeedAct
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers' Commission helps farmers get compensation from MNCs: Kodanda Reddy
Farmers' Commission Chairman M. Kodanda Reddy said that for the first time in the country a Farmers' Commission forced multi-national companies to compensate seed farmers in Mulugu district due to the intervention of Commission members. He said the Commission uncovered fraud in maize seed production in Mulugu district as multinational companies entered into agreements with local farmers but failed to compensate them for losses. With the Commission's intervention, compensation of ₹4 crore was provided to 671 affected farmers. 'There were no prior records of seed companies making such payments.' Speaking to reporters here, he said Telangana produces 60% of the seeds in the country due to the State's climate suitability for high-quality seed production of maize, rice and cotton. The effort of Telangana government is now to encourage the seed growth to export globally placing Telangana at the heart of the global seed market. Mr. Kodanda Reddy noted a significant shift since the formation of the Farmers' Commission by the Revanth Reddy-led government. 'Unlike in Punjab, where the Commission focuses only on farmers and laborers, Telangana has brought agriculture itself under the Commission's purview,' he said. He recalled the BT cotton seed frauds earlier and the Cotton Seed Act introduced during the YS Rajasekhara Reddy government, and said a new Seed Act would soon be introduced to curb irregularities by seed companies. The Commission recently visited Haryana to study the legislation there. He said the Commission was also working to revive the 'Adarsha Rythu' programme to encourage ideal practices of progressive farmers from each village to give them recognition. He also voiced strong opposition to genetic modification in agriculture. Commission members K.V.N. Reddy and Bhavani Reddy were present.
India Gazette
01-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"Agriculture scientists will now work on ground, not just labs," says agricultural minister on "Chaupal Pe Charcha"
Rampur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday held an interaction with farmers in Rampur through a 'Chaupal Pe Charcha', where he addressed concerns related to research, fertiliser distribution, and quality of agricultural inputs. Speaking at the gathering, Chouhan highlighted that agricultural research will no longer remain confined to laboratories or in Delhi. 'Our 16,000 scientists will work in the field among farmers to ensure research aligns with real-time challenges,' he said, adding that scientists will spend at least 15 days with farmers during the Rabi season. Taking strong note of complaints regarding forced sales of liquid fertilisers, Chouhan said, 'No shopkeeper can compel farmers to purchase any specific fertiliser. Legal mechanisms will be established to prevent such malpractice.' He also addressed farmers' grievances about substandard seeds, pesticides, and fertilisers. Chouhan stated that the government is moving towards stricter laws under the Pesticide Act and the Seed Act to ensure severe penalties for companies found to be selling fake or low-quality products. 'We will not spare any company engaged in cheating farmers,' he asserted. The minister added that nano fertilisers, such as Nano Urea, will undergo strict scientific testing before approval. 'Only those products which meet the approved concentration standards will be permitted in the market,' he said. Reaffirming the government's commitment to farmers' welfare, Chouhan said, 'Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, we are working to ensure the prosperity of farmers and the development of agriculture. Without this, we cannot build a developed India.' He also pledged to spend two days each week directly among farmers to understand their difficulties and said agriculture department teams would be regularly deployed in the fields. (ANI)
New Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Bill to pull up substandard seeds suppliers soon
NEW DELHI: The Centre is set to introduce a Seed Amendment Bill to the Seeds Act in the Winter Session of parliament. Intended to be farmer-friendly, it will ensure seed traceability and hold suppliers accountable for substandard seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, which significantly affect farmers' incomes and the country's food security. The decision comes after Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan,received numerous complaints about the poor quality of seeds, pesticides, and fertilisers during his 15-day 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' recently. Chouhan stated. 'The government will take strong measures to strengthen the Seed Act and implement stringent quality control mechanisms to ensure that only certified, high-quality inputs reach farmers.' To achieve this, the government plans to enhance the current network of central and state laboratories, and mandating accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), which is part of the Quality Council of India. However, the country has, currently, fewer laboratories than necessary. 'Our first step is to instruct states and central agencies to obtain NABL accreditation from their own funds,' said Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 'The testing fees for collected samples of seeds, pesticides, or fertilisers will be covered by the Central government's Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana,' he added. He explained how biases in sampling would be eliminated. 'Our software will randomly select the retailer's name from which field inspectors will collect the proper samples. These samples will be packed, encoded with a QR code and sent to laboratories for testing. This will minimise manipulation and foster trust among genuine manufacturers and retailers.'
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Time of India
105 qt sub-standard soybean seized from Ujjain market
Ujjain: Over 100 quintal of sub-standard soyabean was seized from shop number 10 in Ujjain agricultural produce market on Thursday. On Thursday afternoon, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Ujjain district, informed the administration about the seed mafia and notified collector Roshan Kumar Singh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ADM Pratham Kaushik, along with deputy director of agriculture Umed Singh Tomar and other officials from the agriculture department, then visited shop number 10 in the market. According to deputy director of agriculture Tomar, Kuber Seeds Biotech, operated by Parvatsingh Badwai, was found to be selling sub-standard seeds. The seeds given to farmers Mukesh and Balu, along with 140 bags of 50 kg each and 70 open bags weighing 105 quintal, were seized. The seeds were sealed for being sold without a licence and in sub-standard condition. Samples of the seeds have been sent to the lab for testing. SI Yadavendra Parihar of Chimanganj police station said that a case was registered under the Essential Commodities Act and the Seed Act based on the application by Subodh Pathak, Senior Agricultural Extension Officer, and the investigation is underway.
Mint
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Government may introduce seed amendment bill in Parliament this year
New Delhi: The government is in the process of making changes to the Seed Act to address the problem of spurious seeds, minister of agriculture and farmers' welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday. The amended bill will ensure traceability of seeds and fix accountability, he said. "We are in the process of amending the Seed Act, which would be introduced soon," the minister added. A senior official in the agriculture ministry said the government would try to introduce the bill by the winter session of Parliament, which usually starts in the last week of November. 'We are working on the modalities and would try to introduce various measures so that quality seeds reach to the farmers,' said the senior official. One of the features will be a QR code to help farmers trace the origin of seeds, he added. Spurious or uncertified seeds are causing significant losses to farmers, leading to crop failures and financial distress. Fake seeds, often sold under the guise of reputable brands, fail to germinate or produce expected yields, leaving farmers with debt. In 2023-24, out of a total 133,000 seed samples tested, 3,630 were found sub-standard, minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Ramnath Thakur said in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 11 February. The Seeds Act, 1966, which regulates the quality of seeds for sale, has been amended multiple times to improve seed quality and ensure access to high-quality seeds for farmers. The Act provides a legal framework around seed certification and systematic seed certification started in India in 1969. According to officials in the agriculture ministry, the amendment will be done in consultation with states and other stakeholders. Under the existing provision, certification of seed is not mandatory, and private players are currently selling seed as 'truthfully labeled'. In March the Haryana assembly had passed the Seeds (Haryana amendment) Bill, 2025 which has stringent provisions including imprisonment for one to three years and a fine of up to ₹ 5 lakh to prevent the production and sale of substandard or fake seeds. Additionally, the Central government is planning to strengthen equip seed testing labs with the latest technology. "We are in the process of upgrading the labs, the funds for which will be given to the states under PM-RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna)," said the official. Chouhan said that the government will also tighten pesticides legislation and may bring amendments to the existing laws to ensure quality inputs to farmers. The minister said many farmers have raised concerns about the quality of seeds and pesticides during an outreach campaign "Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan", a countrywide initiative running from 29 May to 12 June across all states and union territories, aimed at equipping farmers with information, tools, and technology for the kharif sowing season. Chouhan said, "The campaign was very successful. We engaged directly with 13 million farmers across 143,000-villages in 721 districts." As many as 60,281 programmes were conducted including in tribal, aspirational and border districts. 'Scientists will focus on demand-driven research based on farmers' feedback and many innovations done by progressive farmers would be popularized,' he added. Chouhan said the government will make KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) a nodal agency for better coordination among all stakeholders. There are 731 KVKs spread across the country, with almost one KVK in each district barring a few.
