Punjab Seeds Amendment Bill 2025, amends section 19 of the Seeds Act 1966 to make the supply and sale of substandard seeds a non-bailable offence.
Punjab Seeds Amendment Bill 2025, approved by the Punjab Cabinet led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on July 25, 2025, aims to protect farmers by making the sale of fake or substandard seeds a legal and non-bailable offence.
There has been no amendment to Section 19 of the Seeds Act 1966 since its inception due to which the fines and penalties have no deterrence. So the Cabinet gave its nod to amend and insert Section 19A for contravention of Section 7 of the Seeds Act (Regulation of sales of seeds of notified kinds or varieties), enhancing the fine and penalty, and making it cognizable and non-bailable,”
the Government’s official statement said. The decision amends Section 19 of the Seeds Act, 1966, with the aim of ensuring the supply of high-quality seeds and providing for stricter penalties to restore the confidence of farmers.
● Weather, sowing method and soil play an important role in seed germination.
● According to businessmen, who will be responsible for the Substandard of certified and foundation seeds.
● If a dealer is found guilty during the inspection, he can be imprisoned for 6 months to 2 years and fined up to ₹1-10 lakh under this law.
● Punjab Seeds Amendment Bill 2025 aims to protect farmers by making the sale of fake or substandard seeds a legal and non-bailable offence.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while giving information about the amendments in the Act, said that the purpose of Punjab Seeds (Amendment) Bill 2025 is to ensure the supply of high quality seeds to farmers. Cheema said that this bill has proposed that if a seed producer is found guilty for the first time, he will be imprisoned for 1-2 years and a fine of up to ₹5-10 lakh. Seed producers who commit repeated mistakes can be imprisoned for 2-3 years and a fine of up to ₹50 lakh.
If a dealer is found guilty during the inspection, he can be imprisoned for 6 months to 2 years and fined up to ₹1-10 lakh under this law. He said that the aim of this bill is to stop the sale of substandard seeds, which has led to crop failure and financial crisis for farmers.
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Concerns of Seed Sellers, On the other hand, retailers across the state are seen in distress after getting information about this bill. During the conversation, some seed retailers said that when the government itself approves the seeds. After testing their germination power, purity etc. properly by the department officials, the seeds are recognized according to Foundation, certified and TL categories.
Then why does the government consider a dealer who sold sealed package approved by government officials to be guilty? why should action not be taken against those inspection officials who have given permission to sell the seeds in the market after testing.
Apart from this, the department allows multi-brand companies to produce and sell seeds themselves. Why is checking not done in the godowns of the companies themselves. Why is the retailer who sells seeds in sealed packaging after obtaining a license from the department and the government and submitting the certificate to the license being blamed? Shopkeepers have called this an action by the government to shut down the business.