To check the sale of substandard seeds and pesticides, the Centre is preparing a stringent law which may be brought during Parliament’s Budget session, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Thursday.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day National Conclave of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Chouhan highlighted challenges for farmers and the agriculture sector.
“Our per hectare production of several crops is still very low. We have our limitations. GM (genetically modified) seeds are not allowed in our country. We have been constantly making efforts through research and development to ensure that our farmers get good quality seeds…. We are going to bring in a Seed Act very soon. It will have provisions for stringent action against those who sell substandard seeds. We will bring the Seed Act as well as the Pesticides It will be our endeavour to introduce this in the Budget Session of Parliament,” Chouhan said.
He said farmers often do not get fair prices for their produce, while consumers pay more. “This gap must be reduced.”
