Telangana nursery act should be national model, says SKLTHU VC
Raji Reddy urges Centre to integrate robust State regulatory eco system with draft seeds bill 2025
Hyderabad: Dr D Raji Reddy, Vice Chancellor of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University (SKLTHU), asked the Centre to adopt the Telangana Registration of Horticulture Nurseries (Regulation) Act, 2010, as a National Model Act to be included in the new Draft Seeds Bill 2025. He stated on Thursday that in view of the vast potential of horticulture in India, which is now a key driver of the economy and rural prosperity, major quality inputs such as reliable nurseries, saplings, and vegetable seeds are essential.
The Vice Chancellor argued that adopting the successful Telangana Act would further strengthen the sector by regulating private vegetable seed and fruit nurseries, noting that the few provisions about plant nurseries in the proposed Draft Seed Bill, 2025, are currently insufficient to regulate the quality of horticulture nursery saplings and grafts. He stressed the need to mandate QR codes not only on seed packets but also on nursery seedlings and grafts for end-to-end traceability, building on provisions already included in the Draft Seed Bill 2025.
He explained that the Telangana Registration of Horticulture Nurseries (Regulation) Act, 2010, establishes a mandatory licensing framework for all horticulture nurseries to ensure the production and distribution of authentic, healthy, and quality planting material. The Act defines key terms, empowers the government to appoint competent authorities, and requires every nursery owner to obtain and periodically renew a licence based on prescribed standards. The duties of licence holders include maintaining accurate records, ensuring sanitary conditions, and using only approved plant material for propagation. It also authorises the government to regulate or prohibit the import, export, or transport of specific horticultural plants to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.
Dr Raji Reddy concluded that the Act safeguards farmers and consumers by providing mechanisms for inspection, suspension, and cancellation of licences for non-compliance, along with provisions for appeals and revisions. The robust regulatory ecosystem, which grants officers the power to enter and inspect nurseries and mandates penalties for violations, should be integrated into the Seeds Bill 2025 to strengthen national oversight of planting material quality and nursery operations.
I have already done a search on the Draft Seeds Bill 2025. The key features include mandatory registration of all seed varieties, enhanced quality standards, use of QR codes for traceability, and specific rights and compensation mechanisms for farmers.
