Guidelines to protect IP rights of plants this year

Parameters for 12 of the 35 plant species identified under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Right Act (PPVFR) will be put in place this year to enable breeders and companies to seek registration of plant varieties.

The registration of a plant variety under the Act will protect the intellectual property rights of a company or a research body in respect of the plant variety.

Speaking to the media in connection with a day-long workshop on the provisions of the Act held for industry stakeholders here on Saturday, R K Sinha, executive director of All India Crop Biotechnology Association, said the PPVFR Act would not only safeguard the IP rights of the plant breeders but also the right of the farmer and their freedom to cultivate, share or sell their farm produce.

Though the legislation was enacted in 2001, it is being implemented from this year onwards, he said.

According to Sinha, the Parliament was still to approve a set of guidelines to make the Act fully operational.