Seeding Transformation with New Seeds Regulation

India's seed sector-valued at over Rs 30,000 crore and ranked the fifth largest globally-sits at the heart of the country's food security and farm productivity.

- Narayan Kulkarni

Yet, for decades, it has been governed by a regulatory framework conceived for a far smaller, simpler and less innovation-driven industry. The Seeds Act of 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order of 1983 belong to an era when hybrid seeds were rare, private-sector breeding was nascent, and global seed trade barely existed for India. Today, the landscape is entirely different: more than 650 seed companies operate, hybrid adoption has surged, and R&D pipelines are increasingly critical for navigating climate change, nutritional security, and export opportunities.

Considering the need, the Centre, on November 13 released draft Seeds Bill 2025 which is more than just a compliance update but a long-awaited opportunity to modernise a critical industry that has been constrained by fragmented rules and escalating friction costs. If shaped well during the current consultation window, it can become one of the most impactful agricultural reforms of the decade.