Haryana govt’s stricter curbs on seeds, insecticides get farmers’ backing

The Haryana farmer unions have backed the Nayab Saini-led government for the recent stricter provisions introduced in the Seeds (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2025 and Insecticides (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2025 to curb sale of substandard agricultural inputs.

Farmers unions affiliated to Rakesh Tikait, Gurnam Charuni and other factions of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) have supported the government to strictly implement the new provisions amid the ongoing seven-day state-wide strike by the seeds and insecticide producers and dealers of Haryana that started on Monday.

In a statement, BKU Tikait’s state president Rattan Maan termed the protest against the amendments by the traders of the state as immoral and illegal and demanded the Haryana government to implement these Bills as soon as possible.

He said that the union is with the government and there is also evidence that a large section of these traders have been openly looting the farmers through the trade of spurious seeds and agrochemicals (fertilisers, pesticides etc.) for years

“This has caused undue increase in the cost of cultivation and a decline in the average yield of crops, which is directly harming the farmers. If these traders do not trade in spurious seeds and agrochemicals (fertilisers, pesticides etc.), then why are they opposing the amendments?” he added.

Mann further demanded that those who manufacture and sell fake fertilisers, seeds, medicines should be punished with not only three years imprisonment, but also life imprisonment and the union has been raising its voice for this for many decades.

Similarly, BKU (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Bains also welcomed this step by the government.

“In the absence of stricter penalties, the people involved were selling sub-standard agri products without trouble that has caused heavy losses to the farmers every year,” he said.

Sir Chhotu Ram faction of the BKU also strongly condemned the opposition to the amendments by the traders, calling it in the interest of farmers.

Spokesperson Bahadur Mehla Baldi said that farmers were demanding the introduction of the said amendments for a long time and many traders were cheating farmers by selling fake goods under the guise of big companies.

“This was also destroying the fertility of the land. The traders who are opposing the amendments are not farmer friendly. If the traders are doing their work honestly, then they should not be afraid. The union stands with the farmers and the government. If needed, a movement will be launched against the traders,” he added.

On the other hand, the strike by the traders entered its third day on Wednesday.

Terming it anti-business, the traders on Sunday announced the one-week strike as an ultimatum to the government to either cancel or amend the Acts.

On Tuesday, the Karnal traders held a meeting at Karnal Club chaired by district president Ram Kumar Gupta and said that they will continue the strike till the fulfilment of their demands.

“In these “black laws”, if any seed or pesticide is found to be substandard, the penalty has been raised with the offence made non-bailable. This is completely unfair and anti-business,” he added.

Meanwhile, Congress’ Thanesar MLA Ashok Arora said, “There is no doubt that everyone should be against sale of sub-standard products. But if the traders have some grievances, the government must meet them to resolve the issue.”