A Bill seeks to have private participation in production and distribution of seed to ensure the availability of quality seeds among the farmers, parliament was informed.

Union minister Radha Mohan Singh said that the salient features of the proposed Seeds Bill, include compulsory registration of varieties, enhancement of penalties, labelling of expected performance, seed health test, protection of the rights of the farmers, compensation to the farmers in case of seed crop failures, regulate import and export of seeds, ban on Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT), known as terminator technology.

The government had introduced Seeds Bill, 2004 in Rajya Sabha on December 9, 2004 and Seed Bill is pending in Rajya Sabha.

The introduced bill contains regulation of seeds, nurseries of agricultural, horticultural crops and planting material etc. Provision has been made for protecting rights of farmers, liberalized import – export and private participation in production and distribution of seed to ensure the availability of quality seeds among the farmers.