Overview
- Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced plans to introduce a new Seed Act and tighten the Pesticides Act, with the government aiming to table the legislation in the Budget session in early 2026.
- Provisions under development include mandatory traceability, certification and quality-control measures to curb substandard or counterfeit seeds, with the SATHI portal proposed to track the seed supply chain.
- Under the current framework, seed certification is not compulsory and many private varieties are sold as truthfully labeled outside formal certification oversight.
- States such as Haryana and Punjab have already enacted stricter seed laws in 2025, including Haryana’s penalties of one to three years’ imprisonment and fines up to Rs 5 lakh.
- Chouhan reiterated that genetically modified seeds are not permitted in India and emphasized R&D for improved varieties as he addressed hundreds of farmers and FPO representatives at the National FPO Conclave in New Delhi.