Seed Act 2026: Farmers Raise concern whether the Act will also apply for non germination of the corporate seeds next year as well?
Shimla/Dehradun' New Delhi | January 16, 2026
The Centre has announced the Seed Act 2026, calling it a historic reform to protect farmers from fake and poor-quality seeds. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says the new law will bring transparency and strict punishment for those cheating farmers.
For farmers in Himachal’s BBN belt — Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh — this news strikes close to home because over the past few years many growers have lost entire crops after sowing fake seeds, especially vegetable farmers who invested heavily only to see weak plants, poor yield and in some cases complete crop failure.
The government promises that every seed packet will now carry a QR code so farmers can scan it to know where the seed came from, which company produced it and who sold it, while those selling fake or substandard seeds can face fines of up to ₹30 lakh and even jail for up to three years.
Only registered seed companies will be allowed to operate and unlicensed sellers will be barred.
At the same time the Centre assures that traditional seed systems will remain fully protected so farmers can continue saving, reusing and exchanging their own seeds freely.
Seed conservationist Dr Vandana Shiva of Navdanya fame has welcomed the assurance on protecting traditional seeds, saying farmers’ right to save and share seeds is the backbone of Indian agriculture and must not be compromised.
However, on the ground farmers are raising a bigger question that worries them more than fake seeds — will this law also control big corporate seed companies whose seeds do not grow again the next year, forcing farmers to buy fresh seeds every season?
Many hybrid and corporate seeds cannot be reused. Once farmers buy them they are trapped in a cycle of repeat purchases, which growers call another form of exploitation even if the seeds are not technically “fake.”
Farmers are now asking whether the Seed Act will apply to such cases, because while the government talks about QR codes, tracking and punishment for substandard seeds, it has not clearly said whether companies selling non-regenerating seeds will be held accountable.
In Himachal’s BBN belt, farmers say they know the pain too well as fake vegetable seeds have ruined crops, some growers have missed two seasons in a row, dealers vanished after selling bad seeds and no compensation ever came.
While QR codes sound promising, farmers ask whether it will bring back their lost money or hold powerful companies responsible.
Growers say real reform means compensation for crop losses, strict action not just against small dealers but also big companies, proper field-level checks and seeds that farmers can reuse without fear.
The Seed Act 2026 may look strong on paper, but farmers say the real test will be its implementation on the ground, and until they see action, the biggest question remains unanswered — will this law truly protect farmers, or will big seed companies continue business as usual?