Shivraj Chouhan Opens Asian Seed Congress 2025 in Mumbai

• Union Minister inaugurates Asian Seed Congress 2025 and unveils its official logo
• Calls on private sector to work with government to make seeds affordable
• Announces consideration of new legislation on seeds and pesticides in upcoming budget session
• Urges stakeholders to use the SATHI portal and stresses climate-resilient seed development

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 17th Nov: Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday inaugurated the Asian Seed Congress 2025 in Mumbai, marking the formal opening of one of Asia’s largest platforms for seed sector innovation and policy dialogue. The event also saw the unveiling of the official logo, with this year’s theme set as “Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity through Quality Seeds.”

In his inaugural address, Chouhan outlined the government’s core priorities—ensuring national food security, expanding access to nutritious food, and making farming more profitable. He said improving per-hectare productivity, reducing production costs, and supplying high-quality seeds remain central to the government’s agricultural strategy.

The Minister emphasised that ICAR and state institutions are accelerating work on bio-fortified and climate-resilient varieties to tackle malnutrition and challenges posed by changing weather patterns. He underlined the crucial role of the private sector in seed development but criticised the high prices of privately produced seeds, noting that most Indian farmers cannot afford them. He urged companies to lower prices and supply seeds that do not require frequent replacement.

Calling poor germination and low-quality seeds a major concern, Shri Chouhan said strict action would be taken against manufacturers found guilty of malpractice. He also announced that the government is considering new legislation on seeds and pesticides in the upcoming Budget Session to strengthen regulation and curb illegal trade.

The Minister appealed to all stakeholders to log in to the Agriculture Ministry’s SATHI portal and use its services, noting its importance in streamlining seed sector governance. Highlighting climate-resilient agriculture as “the need of the hour,” he said India’s 15 agro-climatic zones require innovative varieties capable of withstanding drought, heat and pest pressures. He informed that two Genome-Edited rice varieties have been developed, promising 19–40% higher productivity with reduced water usage and lower carbon emissions.

Chouhan also encouraged private seed companies to raise issues before the government and suggested reducing the time and cost of bringing new seeds to market. He stressed that those involved in unlawful practices in the seed sector “will never be forgiven,” urging coordinated action to eliminate such activities.

National Seed Association of India Chairman N. Prabhakar Rao said the Congress would play a key role in addressing evolving challenges in the seed sector. The event is co-chaired by FSII Chairman Ajay Rana and APSA President Take WahKoh.

Renowned biotechnologist and geneticist Trilochan Mohapatra was honoured for his contributions to the public seed sector.

The Asian Seed Congress 2025, scheduled from November 17 to 21, will host workshops, technical sessions and its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on November 20.