Legal Powers Under Seeds Act and Allied Regulations
To regulate seed quality and prevent the circulation of fake seeds, the Seeds Act, 1966, Seed Rules, 1968 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 grant extensive powers to State Governments. States can appoint Seed Inspectors who are authorised to inspect seed outlets, draw samples, and initiate enforcement actions.
These actions include cancellation of licences, seizure of stocks, issuance of stop-sale orders and prosecution of violators. The legal framework ensures that seed dealers, distributors and companies remain accountable throughout the supply chain.
SATHI Portal Brings End-to-End Traceability
Complementing the legal regime, the Government has launched the Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory (SATHI) portal. This digital platform enables end-to-end traceability of seeds from production to sale, significantly enhancing transparency.
The portal helps prevent the circulation of spurious and sub-standard seeds by digitally tracking seed movement across the supply chain. States and Union Territories have also been advised to strictly enforce existing laws and intensify vigilance at storage points and retail outlets.
Protecting Farmers’ Rights and Traditional Varieties
The government has underscored that protecting traditional and farmers’ seed varieties remains a priority. Provisions under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001 and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 support conservation and sustainable use of indigenous varieties.
Farmers retain the right to save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share or sell their farm-saved seeds. These rights form the cornerstone of India’s seed sovereignty and cultural agricultural heritage.
Incentives Under National Food Security and Nutrition Mission
Under the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM), financial assistance is provided to boost seed production of traditional varieties. Farmers receive seeds at 50 per cent cost, along with seed production incentives of ₹1,000 per quintal for cereals and millets.
For pulses and oilseeds, the incentive is ₹2,000 per quintal. Capacity-building programmes and one-time assistance of ₹50 lakh for establishing community seed banks further support grassroots seed systems.
Recognition and Financial Support for Conservation
The PPV&FR Act encourages farmers to conserve indigenous varieties through registration of farmers’ varieties with intellectual property protection. Outstanding conservation efforts are recognised through Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards, Farmer Rewards and Farmer Recognitions.
Financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakh is also provided for conservation initiatives under the National Gene Fund, as per PPVFR Rules, 2025.
Seed Licensing, Pricing and Research Support
All seed companies and firms must obtain a seed dealer licence under the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 from the concerned State Government. Horticulture nurseries are similarly regulated under State Nursery Acts.
To ensure fair pricing, the Cotton Seeds Price (Control) Order, 2015 fixes maximum sale prices for Bt cotton hybrid seeds annually. Additionally, financial assistance to ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities and public sector agencies supports development of climate-resilient and bio-fortified varieties.
Between 2014 and 2025-26, over 3,236 high-yielding varieties of field crops have been released, significantly strengthening seed availability at affordable prices.
