-The Hindu Business Line The National Seed Association of India (NSAI), which represents top seed Companies in the country, on Wednesday suggested some changes in the proposed Seed Bill 2019, including a more scientific definition of transgenic variety, enhanced farmer rights on seeds and enlisting the services of private firms for evaluating new varieties before seed registration. In letters written to Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Director General (ICAR) Trilochan Mahapatra...

-Livemint.com * Consumer goods Companies are likely to post their worst revenue growth in the last 15 years, as per report * With slump in consumer demand, most firms are stepping up their efforts to entice consumers through discounts and offers Mumbai: Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) Companies are shifting their focus to consumer promotions to drive volume in a sluggish market while being cautious on investing heavily on advertisements to save cost,...

-The Hindu Business Line RCEP will jeopardise India’s seed industry With Brexit now a certainty, the days of liberal globalization are numbered. Open borders, FTAs and multilateral agreements are no longer in vogue. However, India seems inclined to ink the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), perhaps the world’s biggest free trade agreement. This seems an ill-advised step. India boosts of a vibrant seed sector with public institutions and a variety of private...

-TheWire.in Given the increased policy and intervention focus on producer Companies, it becomes imperative to understand exactly how many there are. On July 5, 2019, the Centre announced a plan to promote 10,000 new farmer producer Companies over the next five years. India already has many such Companies, which have been registered since they were introduced in 2002 through an amendment to the Companies Act. While registered under that Act, they have several...

-The Hindu Business Line Clause for compensation panel, regulation of seed prices scrapped New Delhi: The revised draft Seeds Bill 2019, which the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare placed in the public domain recently for suggestions and comments, seems to be a watered down version of a draft prepared about nine years ago by the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Among other things, the new draft has done away with the...