Govt to introduce stringent seed law in Budget session, says Shivraj
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to farmers on Thursday to grow multiple crops by adopting integrated farming and not confine themselves to growing only cereals. The minister also asked farmers to share suggestions and promised to take necessary action on those ideas.
Addressing a two-day “National FPO Samagam 2025” in New Delhi, Chouhan urged Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) to work seriously in the interest of the country’s small farmers and simultaneously increase their turnover every year. He also emphasised the need to enhance reliability and quality to maximise benefits for member-farmers.
To ensure better returns, Chouhan said, the government will promote integrated farming, encouraging farmers to focus on allied activities like poultry and dairying alongside agriculture. the benefit of farmers. He emphasised that grain production alone will not suffice and as such, related initiatives must be adopted.
More than 500 progressive representatives of FPOs from 140 districts across the country are participating in the exhibition-cum-conference, showcasing their products and strength. After 2023, more than 10,000 FPOs have been formed under a Central scheme, of which 1,100 FPOs have reported annual turnover of Rs 1 crore.
Use of other techs
The minister said that the government plans to introduce a legislation during the budget session of Parliament, which normally starts 2-3 days before the Budget Day of February 1. The law will have stringent provisions to regulate seed quality, the minister added. He said, as genetically modified seeds are not allowed in food crops, research is underway to develop better varieties through other technologies.
The government is focused on introducing mandatory traceability, certification and quality control provisions to ensure seed quality and curb the sale of substandard or counterfeit seeds. He informed that some states like Haryana and Punjab have amended their respective Seed Act with tougher penalties for violations and have enhanced enforcement measures.
Ensuring better income to farmers is a key government priority as about 46 per cent of the country’s population still depends on farming for their livelihood, he said.
The minister also said that he is concerned on how to ensure farmers receive a fair price for their hard-earned crops. “While, farmers work tirelessly day and night to grow their crops, still they don’t receive a fair price, very often. On the other hand, consumers buy those at higher prices. This gap must be reduced,” he noted.
Chouhan interacted with participating farmers at the 57 stalls at the exhibition and commended their achievements.
Published on October 30, 2025
