Farmers or Firms? Punjab Objects to Centre's Seeds Bill for Favoring Agri-Corporates

Officials argue the Bill seeks to centralise regulation, stripping states of their existing powers and reducing state-level bodies to a purely advisory role. File Photo.

The Punjab Government has officially registered its opposition to the Union Ministry of Agriculture’s draft Seeds Bill 2025 and described it as a move that neglects small and marginal farmers. State Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the department rejected the bill after a thorough review, asserting it prima facie favours large seed manufacturing companies.

Minister Khudian highlighted critical gaps and said there is no mechanism for compensating farmers in cases of crop failure. A major point of contention is the recognition of seed trials conducted on foreign soil. The minister warned that allowing foreign-tested seeds into the Indian market without local multi-location testing under Punjab’s specific agro-climatic conditions could facilitate the entry of genetically modified (GM) seeds.

Furthermore, the Punjab government objected to the "zone-based" system, which fails to guarantee the state's representation in the Central Seed Committee. Officials argue the Bill seeks to centralise regulation, stripping states of their existing powers and reducing state-level bodies to a purely advisory role.

The state’s formal reply to the Centre warns that implementing the Bill in its current form could trigger widespread unrest among the farming community, who fear being left at the mercy of private corporations.

Source: The Tribune