Samyukt Kisan Morcha to protest draft Seeds Bill, alleges it strengthens control of MNCs

As the last date for the public to submit responses on the draft Seeds Bill ends on December 11, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of several farmers’ organisations, has urged farmers to burn copies of the Bill on Monday, saying the proposed legislation “will extend control over seed supply to multinational companies and corporate houses.”

In a statement issued here on Sunday, the SKM said the Seeds Bill is another piece of legislation to smother federal rights and ruin food security and seed sovereignty.

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had notified the draft Bill on November 12. The draft is meant to replace the Seeds Act, 1966. “SKM strongly denounces this regressive legislation to establish MNC corporate hegemony over the Indian seed sector, seriously undermining food security, seed sovereignty and smother federal rights of the states hence, demands its immediate withdrawal,” the SKM said.

The SKM added that the draft Bill will extend control over seed supply to MNCs and corporate houses and thereby fulfil the same target which the Contract Farming Act had sought to achieve. “It will change cropping patterns to serve market interests of corporations. There is no mention in it of guaranteeing timely supply of cheap and quality seeds in the market to ensure food security, farmers’ financial security and profitable farming. These should be the main aim of any government’s Seeds bill. Unfortunately the Modi government has completely ignored this and it seeks to bring disaster for sustenance farming in India,” the statement said.

The SKM asked farmers to rally against the Bill, which it said was aimed at corporatisation of the seed sector as it allows “large-scale profiteering on Indian biodiversity by the MNCs and eroding the food security and seed sovereignty of the country.”

“SKM appeals to farmers to join the protest by burning the copies of the Seeds Bill on December 8, 2025, at villages across India to protect federal rights and seed sovereignty,” the statement added.