CSA seeks amendments to Seed Bill-2010

HYDERABAD: Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) is organising a national farmer’s seed workshop here on April 26 and 27. The workshop is intended to create a platform to discuss about breeding, participatory plant breeding techniques, policy and lobbying issues.

Speaking to reporters here today, CSA executive director GV Ramanjaneyulu said the workshop would also discuss the Seed Bill-2010, which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.

He said the CSA would oppose the Bill in toto and wanted the Centre to make certain amendments in the bill to provide safeguards to farmers. He said they would approach MPs of various parties for making suitable amendments to the Bill.

Agriculture was a state subject and the states too should pass Seed Acts in their respective states, he said and added that the bill was completely inadequate when it comes to compensation to farmers in case of seed failure.

On offences and punishments, Ramanjaneyulu demanded that there should be a formula specified in the law itself for calculating the penalty applicable.

He said that punitive and compensatory clauses should apply to misbranding, selling at prices higher than specified prices/MRP, failure of germination and lack of genetic purity.

On the royalties being collected by multi-national seed companies, Ramanjaneyulu said seed prices were bound to spiral upwards therby increasing the overall cost of cultivation. He demanded that the royalty or trait fee should not exceed five per cent of the total cost of the seed.

He stressed the need for reallocation of powers between Central and State seed committees.

He demanded stringent laws to see that seed companies paid compensation to farmers in case of failure of the seed. The present laws were insufficient and farmers have no option but to approach the consumer fora for compensation, he said.