Published: 13 November 2025PIBEconomy
Draft Seeds Bill 2025 Released for Public Consultation; Replaces 1966 Act with QR Traceability
The Union Ministry of Agriculture released the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025, for public consultation, aiming to replace the six-decade-old Seeds Act of 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 with a modern, farmer-centric regulation framework.
Key features include mandatory QR codes on seed packets generated through the central Seed Traceability Portal for end-to-end tracking; retention of farmers' rights to save and resow seeds; graded penalties (up to ₹2 lakh for minor and ₹30 lakh for major offences); and measures to curb spurious seed sales. However, farmer groups have raised concerns that the bill may favour seed companies over traditional cultivators.
0Mains angle
Q: Examine the key features of the Draft Seeds Bill 2025 released for public consultation and its implications for farmers' rights and seed quality regulation.
Answer (50 words):
The Union Agriculture Ministry released the Draft Seeds Bill 2025 to replace the Seeds Act 1966 and Seeds Control Order 1983. Key features include mandatory QR codes via a central Seed Traceability Portal, retained farmer rights to save and resow seeds, and graded penalties reaching ₹30 lakh for spurious seeds.
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Linked questionMedium
The Draft Seeds Bill 2025, released for public consultation, aims to replace which of the following?
1. Seeds Act of 1966
2. Seeds (Control) Order, 1983
3. Plant Variety Protection Act, 2001
Select the correct answer:
Explanation · Correct answer AThe Draft Seeds Bill, 2025 aims to replace the Seeds Act of 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 with a modern, farmer-centric regulation framework. The Plant Variety Protection Act, 2001 was not mentioned as being replaced by this bill.
