NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended setting up a regulatory body to fix seed prices in India, stressed the urgent need for a new Seeds Bill to replace the outdated law, and proposed 100% procurement of pulses and oilseeds to achieve self-reliance in these commodities.
The panel noted that the current seed pricing system is arbitrary, particularly affecting small and marginal farmers by pushing them deeper into debt.
It therefore urged the creation of a regulatory institution to set an upper price ceiling for seeds, protecting farmers from potentially exploitative pricing by dominant seed companies. This initiative aims to prevent indebtedness and ensure inclusive agricultural growth.
The proposed regulatory body should include representation from farmers, state governments and industry associations.
Moreover, the panel supported the introduction of a new Seeds Bill to ensure seed quality, promote innovation, regulate the private sector and protect farmers, as the outdated Seeds Act of 1966 is no longer effective.
The current law has several inadequacies, including the lack of compulsory registration and licensing, which hinders quality control and traceability.
The committee also pointed out India’s significant reliance on imports of edible oils and pulses, which strains foreign exchange reserves and exposes farmers to global market volatility.
Currently, India imports 56% of the total edible oil consumed in the country and 2.13 million metric tonnes of pulses.
To address this, the panel recommended strengthening the government scheme PM-AASHA by procuring 100% of oilseeds and pulses production.
It also proposed establishing a dedicated online portal and a 24-hour farmer helpline, along with opening new procurement centres in remote areas with limited connectivity.
The committee noted that significant yield gaps in Indian oilseeds and pulses are due to low adoption rates of high-yielding varieties and low seed replacement rates.
To improve this, it is recommended increasing investment in biotechnology, including the use of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 and Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS), to develop climate-resilient, high-yielding and pest-resistant crop varieties.
Finally, the panel recommended linking the SATHI (a seed tracking system) with central farmer databases, Krishi Mapper, Agri Stack and subsidy disbursal mechanisms.
This integration would increase transparency, reduce leakages and malpractices, and ensure that eligible farmers receive certified seeds and benefits.