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Experts at the 13th National Seed Congress (NSC), Varanasi urged the Centre to update the Seeds Bill (2004) and Seeds Policy (2002) to reflect current developments in the seed sector.
The Seeds Bill, introduced in 2004, was not passed due to opposition from farmers, and experts called for policies that balance innovation with farmers' needs.
Experts emphasized collaboration between the public and private sectors to deliver quality seeds to farmers efficiently and affordably
Highlighted the need to strengthen India's seed quality assurance system, stating that existing certification standards are below international levels.
The Seeds Act (1966) and Seeds Rules (1968) have not been updated, and there is a need to define the difference between farmer seeds and commercial seeds.
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