Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne revealed plans to implement a Seed Act aimed at supporting farmers and ensuring access to high-quality seeds. The proposed law will grant legal protection to farmers, enabling them to store, use, exchange, and sell seeds without brand restrictions. Additionally, it promises prompt compensation for farmers in case of crop failure due to faulty seeds. This initiative fulfills a commitment made during the 2025 monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislature.
Minister Bharne, in a recent meeting, outlined key directives to enhance the bill, emphasizing farmer empowerment, quick compensation, strict accountability, and the strengthening of Mahaveer, which pertains to the Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation (Mahabeej). The legislation will secure farmers’ rights to trade self-produced seeds, ensuring swift financial recourse for sub-standard seeds. It will also hold seed companies accountable for quality assurance, imposing severe penalties on offenders and focusing on enhancing the operational efficiency of Mahabeej.
The government’s focus on quality responsibility by companies is central to this independent law. Minister Bharne highlighted the establishment of Seed Grievance Redressal Cells at the district level to aid farmers. The new legal framework aims to modernize the seed supply chain through technical interventions such as mandatory registration, traceability, seed health standards, and nursery regulations. All entities involved in seed production, processing, distribution, and sales will be mandated to register, with QR codes on seed packets and a ‘Centralised Seed Traceability Portal’ to monitor seed movements from production to sale.
Technical measures are already in progress, with the ‘Sathi’ portal achieving full registration of all seed-producing organizations. By the Kharif 2026 season, the entire seed cycle will be managed through this portal, ensuring transparency and accountability in the production, distribution, and sale of all seed varieties.
