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| Sunday, 12 June 2005 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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New seed policy - private sector to play bigger role The Ministry of Agriculture has finalised a new national seed policy giving a bigger role to the private sector but under strict government supervision. Under the new policy, cultivation and field trials on Genetically Modified (GM) crops is totally banned. Another salient feature of the new policy is that it has totally rejected to bring in new laws to ensure breeders and multinational companies rights on seeds against obligations to the TRIPS agreement with the WTO. The new seed policy ensures seed security which was not considered by the previous policy. The new policy ensuring seed security is considered a government responsibility, chief architect of the new policy Dr. Wasantha Bandara told the Sunday Observer. "The previous policy formulated in 1997 was business oriented and there was wide freedom for the private sector. But after eight years we have realised that this policy does not ensure the seed security of the country", Dr. Bandara said. Under the new policy the private sector will be allowed to research, produce import and sell seeds and planting materials. However, it is expected to gradually reduce seed imports by enforcing a cess between 1-5% and crediting them to the "Development Fund for Seed Security" which will be diverted to fund seed research. However, the new policy defined the private sector in a broader term including the corporate private sector as well as individual farmers and farmers' societies. " The agriculture of the country and our farmers should sustain even without the involvement of the government and private companies. Our ultimate objective is food security. Under the new policy we encourage individual farmers to produce quality seeds and planting materials. Even today individual farmers play a major role in the production of seed and planting materials. For example 83% of seed paddy is provided by individual farmers and the government provides 12% while the corporate private sector provides 5%, Dr. Bandara said. Explaining the ban on GM crops Dr. Bandara said " we are not anti science but genetic pollution should be prevented at all costs. The new seed policy will be presented for cabinet approval shortly. GW |
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