The Union government is targeting the introduction of the Seeds Bill, 2025 in Parliament during the first phase of the upcoming Budget session in February, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Tuesday. The proposed legislation is expected to replace the decades-old Seeds Act of 1966 and bring India’s seed regulatory framework in line with modern agricultural practices.

Chaturvedi said the government has received around 9,000 suggestions and applications from stakeholders on the draft Seeds Bill. “We will process all the inputs and prepare a Cabinet note. Our target is to bring the bill in the first phase of the Budget session,” he said, indicating that consultations are nearing completion.

The Agriculture Secretary also noted that the Pesticides Management Bill, 2020 is likely to be tabled after Parliament reconvenes following the Budget session recess.

The Seeds Bill, 2025 proposes mandatory registration of seed varieties, dealers, and producers to ensure quality control and traceability. To enhance transparency and consumer confidence, the bill introduces modern measures such as QR codes on seed packets, enabling farmers to access detailed information about seed quality and origin. It also provides for the establishment of central and state seed committees to strengthen oversight and regulation.

At the same time, the bill safeguards farmers’ traditional rights by allowing them to save, use, exchange, and share farm-saved seeds without the need for registration.

The legislation includes stringent penalties for violations, ranging from fines of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 30 lakh and imprisonment of up to three years, depending on the severity of the offence. In cases involving companies, individuals responsible for managing business operations at the time of the offence will be held accountable.

The deadline for public comments on the draft bill ended on December 11, 2024.