The Indian government and farmers unions are at loggerheads over the draft of the Seeds Bill, 2025, which intends to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983. The public comments period has ended on December 11, 2025, and is likely to become a law (if passed) in the next budget session (Feb-March 2026) of the Indian Parliament. Hundreds of thousands of farmers across India protested against the new draft Seed Bill 2025 on Monday, December 8, burning copies of it and demanding its immediate withdrawal. The bill will compromise the country’s food security and threaten its seed sovereignty, the farmers claimed.
Following are the views of all stakeholders on this issue:
Indian Govt view: The draft Seeds Bill, 2025 seeks to regulate the quality of seeds and planting materials available in the market, ensure farmers’ access to high-quality seeds at affordable rates, curb the sale of spurious and poor-quality seeds, protect farmers from losses, liberalise seed imports to promote innovation and access to global varieties, and safeguard the rights of farmers, ensuring transparency and accountability in the seed supply chain – @PIB_India
Farmers View: Farmers in India overwhelmingly oppose the new draft Seeds Bill 2025, with major organizations like the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) calling it “anti-farmer” and demanding its immediate withdrawal. They fear the bill threatens the country’s seed sovereignty and will lead to corporate dominance of the seed sector.
Current Stage: The bill remains in the draft phase. It was released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on November 13, 2025, for public consultation, with the feedback period closing on December 11, 2025. No parliamentary introduction or voting has occurred yet.
Next Steps: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan indicated it would be introduced in Parliament during the Budget Session (expected February–March 2026). Earlier speculation suggested possible tabling in the Winter Session (ending December 2025), but this has not happened.
Context: Ongoing farmer protests and opposition from unions like Samyukta Kisan Morcha may influence revisions before introduction. Once finalized, it aims to replace the Seeds Act, 1966, and focus on seed quality, traceability, and farmer protections.
Value: India’s seed sector, valued at approximately $3.82 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $5 billion by 2030 (with a 5.5% CAGR), relies heavily on quality seeds for food security. The public sector contributes 85% of new varieties, but private innovation is growing. Previous reform attempts in 2004 and 2019 failed due to farmer protests, and this draft has sparked similar debates.
Full Peoples Dispatch Article on the Seeds Bill
