Govt's Seeds Bill overlooks farmers

New Delhi: The Standing Committee has clearly stated that the UPA Government’s Seeds Bill 2004 is anti-farmer.

“This is an anti-farmer bill and pro-corporate bill and the farmer is at the receiving end,” says member, Standing Committee, Agriculture, M P Veerendra Kumar.

The Standing Committee Report fears more private players in the Bill will marginalise Indian farmers, seed companies with exclusive rights will fix high price for seeds. It suggests seed prices be regulated to protect the farmers and they should be exempted form compulsory registration.

The Seed Bill had suggested that farmers register the seeds sown and grown by them so that the ownership of the seed is known.

The Standing Committee has rejected this proposal saying seeds are a community resource, one which industry cannot be allowed to exploit.

“Farmers are not in a position to market their own seeds. And once they start doing it piracy of seeds will start,” says President, Seeds Association of India, A S Kataria.

For a Government that from the start has striven hard to adopt a pro-farmer image, the Standing Committee’s announcement is another setback.

What would be interesting to see now is how the Agriculture Ministry reacts to this report and what will be the final shape given to the Bill.

The Left has already opposed the Bill. Brinda Karat has also voiced the Standing Committees concerns on the issue in a letter to the Agriculture Minister.

So for generations the farmers who have preserved the seeds and sown them in the cropping season now will have to wait for politics to shape a Bill that could play a decisive role in their future.