PPV&FRA Act Amendment Plans and Farmers’ Worries
Why in the news
Citing scientific and trade changes, the government planned to revise the plant variety law while farmers voiced worries.
Key facts
- Proposed: variety to cover genotype combinations; seed to cover seedlings, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, roots, tissue culture plantlets and synthetic seeds.
- Breeder institution to cover public and private bodies.
- DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity, Stability) guidelines to add trait importance and curb misuse.
- Punishable: dealing in a variety under another variety’s name.
Farmers’ concerns
- Private firms may misuse DUS tests to monopolise seeds; Njavara paddy cited.
- Seeds are shared community resources, clashing with IPR.
- Compensation criteria missing in the Rules.
- Pressure to match international IPR norms.
Exam angle
- Committee chair: R.S. Paroda; related: draft Seeds Bill 2019.