Federal govt mulls further amendments to Seed Act

PESHAWAR: The federal government is mulling further amendments in the Seed (Amendment) Act, 2015 to introduce certain new companies and exempt them from the tough registration process in the name of categorisation of seed companies. This would be something unique anywhere in the agricultural world. The proposed plan has caused unrest among the indigenous seed companies, farmers, agricultural scientists and the officials aware of the hazards in the process and the designs of certain influential elements in the business.

The proposed amendment would enable a group of powerful businesspersons, who have joined hands to make fresh entry into the seed industry, to launch their ventures unhindered and without passing through the process of registration.

The government is rather trying to introduce the system of categorization for them, which would help them get exemption from the strict check system on seed producers and importers.

“There would be no check on the groups falling in the top category of the companies and would open floodgates for import of genetically modified (GM) seeds,” said a senior official in the seed certification and registration department.

GM seeds are a hazardous organism banned across the world due to its risks for crops and human health. The companies producing and dealing in GM seeds have been making efforts for the last several years to enter Pakistani market after being banned in all leading agricultural countries, including the US, China and India.

However, they have been unable to make a legal entry into Pakistan so far because due to the existing proper system for mechanism for seed certification and checking seed production in the country. The new amendment, according to sources, would do away with the check system and thus substandard and hazardous seeds would flood the local markets. Under the new law, categorization of companies instead of registration is under discussion and the “new entrants” in the business are expected to be placed in Category-A. This category would be exempted from legal formalities and checks and barriers for producing and importing seeds, the sources said.

The federal seed certification and registration department has already expressed its reservations over the proposed amendment. In a formal letter to the federal secretary for Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the department observed that the Seed Act, 1976 was amended in 2015 through Seed (Amend) Act, 2015 after rigorous consultation process with the stakeholders in public and private seed sector.

The amendments were finalized to improve the seed sector regulatory environment and remove barriers to help seed industry prosper and develop in the right direction, the letter stated. All the stakeholders were taken onboard and duly consulted, it added.