Your reaction to the Seeds Bill 2004
For one, it doesn't recognise our farmers' seed systems, which cater to 80 per cent of the seed demand. It fails to represent our farmers as breeders of plants. It leaves ambiguity on genetically modified crops, though it would help prevent unauthorised releases of GM crops. It calls for registration of horticulture nurseries. This seems quite improbable given the conditions in India. In its present shape, this bill would be okay in the US or Europe, but not in India.

What is the need of India's seed sector?
Implement the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act 2001 (PPVFRA) first. Government's eagerness for the Seeds Bill is creating apprehensions among people that it is an effort to undermine PPVFRA, which is one of its kind as it combines plant variety protection with farmers' rights. That's because we see farmers and breeders as complimentary, not antagonistic. The Seeds Bill was drafted after PPVFRA had got cleared by Parliament and the President. The Biodiversity Act was also passed before the Seeds Bill was drafted