Par nod on pesticide and seed bills likely next session: MoS Agri

The government hopes to get Parliament nod on two long-pending Bills on pesticide management and seeds in the next session, Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala said on Thursday.

The Pesticide Management Bill that will replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 seeks to regulate the pesticide sector by fixing prices and setting up of a regulatory authority.

Whereas the Seeds Bill, which will replace the Seeds Act 1966, seeks to regulate the production, distribution and sale of seeds. The Bill was put on hold in 2015 after it drew flak on enabling provision for genetically modified crops.

"We are working on two important Bills -- the Pesticide Management Bill and the Seeds Bill. They are pending for long. We are pursuing them very seriously. I hope they will be passed in the next session of Parliament," Rupala said at an event organised by industry body Assocham.

The government is concerned about sale of spurious seeds and pesticides. These Bills aim to address this issue as well, he added.

Rupala said the domestic seeds industry has a huge export potential.

On organic produce, the minister said the demand for organic food is rising fast in the world and India is the only country that has the potential to meet that demand.

"I am sure India is the only country which has the ability to meet the growing world demand for organic produce. Other countries cannot because they do not have suitable agro-climatic conditions," he added.

He said there is a need to create awareness among farmers about the rising demand of organic produce so that they produce accordingly.

Normally, winter session of Parliament is held during November-December.