SAHIWAL: The local chapter of the Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP) has shown strong reservations about proposed changes to the federal seed certification laws for providing space to multinational seed companies to operate in provinces.

It demanded the strict enforcement of the actual federal seed certification law, which provided a mechanism for foreign seed multinational firms to obey protocols listed for introduction of any new seed, both hybrid or genetically modified, at the local level.

Talking to the media here on Friday, Saleem Bari, the senior executive member of the Seed Association of Pakistan, demanded the federal government refrain from making such changes to the seed enforcement laws and regulations as might compromise the level-playing field for all seed companies.

Saying that the local seed manufacturers and farmers were major stakeholders, he asked why they were being kept out of the process of changes to the laws. He said even in the old Seed Act 1976, seed was a ‘federal subject’ and this aspect was protected in amended Seed Act 2015.

“Seed must remain a federal subject and no province be given authority to make changes to enforcement laws.”

Mr Bari revealed that local seed companies, farmers and various chambers of commerce had opposed the idea of changing provisions of the seed enforcement laws. He said the Agriculture Extension Department lacked the capacity to judge ‘seed quality’ as it only introduced new technologies and methods to the farmers and also warned them of pest attacks and weather conditions.

The seed association alleged that the Punjab governor and the federal agriculture minister were lobbying for two cotton seed companies that had only one percent share in the local market.

Mian Tariq, another spokesperson for the SAP, said the categorisation of seed companies, proposed in the Agriculture Reform Committee, was not approved and enforced in any country of the world. He said 90pc of seed of all crops were produced in Punjab and if new regulations were allowed these local companies would find it difficult to sell their seed, not only in Punjab but other provinces too.

Mr Bari said the Agriculture Reform Committee was proposing amendments but it was not having local representation of other stakeholders. He said that by allowing provinces making seed certification laws at provincial level would undermine interests of certain multinational companies.

The association representatives alleged two cotton seed multinational companies were behind the move and they were lobbying through two PTI leaders.

The association had recorded its protest at Rahim Yar Khan, Vehari, Multan and Lahore to press for its demand that existing seed laws must remain intact.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2021