Pune: The state agriculture department has registered 56 FIRs against seed companies within a fortnight over complaints of poor soybean germination across the state. Officials further plan to introduce the Maharashtra Seeds Act, 2026, to tighten regulation and ensure compensation for affected farmers.State agriculture commissioner Suraj Mandhare told TOI on Sunday, “We are drafting the Maharashtra Seeds Act, 2026, to permanently bridge legislative gaps and guarantee that farmers receive fair, timely compensation for crop losses. Meanwhile, we have received 6,384 reports of poor germination affecting nearly 6,450 hectares statewide. Our enforcement teams have analysed 7,530 seed samples, issued 833 stop-sale orders and seized 2,956 quintals of suspected substandard seed stock. Criminal cases have already been filed against several companies wherever violations have been detected.”Officials said the 56 FIRs registered within two weeks are the highest-ever filed by the state against seed companies in such a short span, reflecting the scale of complaints received this season. Most cases have come from the soybean-growing regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada, with Amravati accounting for 35 FIRs and Akola 11, with the remaining cases spread across other districts.Sunil Borkar, director of quality control and inputs at the department, said, “We are receiving complaints regarding poor germination of soybean over the last fortnight. Since this directly affects farmers’ livelihoods, FIRs have been registered against the companies wherever preliminary inquiries indicated violations. Amravati reported the highest number of cases, followed by Akola.”Officials said soybean growers in the affected districts have complained of patchy germination soon after sowing, prompting the department to initiate field inspections and criminal proceedings wherever prima facie violations were detected.Agriculture officials acknowledged that this is not the first time Maharashtra has witnessed large-scale complaints over poor germination of soybean seeds. According to official records, nearly one lakh complaints were received during the 2020 kharif season. However, officials said the current episode has generated far greater public attention as farmer organisations and local political representatives have actively supported affected growers.At the same time, officials admitted that govt’s decision to compensate affected farmers has also led to a rise in questionable claims in some areas. To ensure genuine cases receive relief, the department has constituted tehsil-level verification committees, headed by tehsil agriculture officers, who will inspect fields immediately after complaints are received and submit reports. Earlier, such committees were headed by sub-divisional officers, who supervised four tehsils.Officials said investigations have revealed serious discrepancies in records maintained by several private seed companies. Under the existing Seed Act, companies are required to maintain complete records of the farms and growers involved in foundation seed production before seeds are processed and marketed.Maharashtra hosts nearly 90 private soybean seed companies, and agriculture officials said that around 20 firms account for the majority of the FIRs registered so far.A senior agriculture official said on condition of anonymity, “There are serious discrepancies in the records maintained by some companies. If violations are established, legal action will continue and licences may also be cancelled to prevent recurrence. We strongly suspect that some of these companies have directly purchased soybean seeds from the open markets, packed them and sent them to the market. Such companies will face strong legal action as per the norms.”Farmer organisations have also criticised the agriculture department for not conducting stricter quality checks before seed packets reach the market. Officials, however, maintained that it is practically impossible to test every seed lot because of limited laboratory infrastructure and manpower.“We are now investigating how these companies carried out their internal quality control before releasing seed stocks into the market. We will examine whether they maintained proper testing records and if their quality assurance systems were followed,” another official said.On the flipside, seed companies questioned the high number of cases. The Seed Industry Association of Maharashtra (SIAM), which has about 109 seed company members, including soybean producers, has objected to the large number of criminal cases. They are arguing that legal action should follow scientific confirmation rather than field complaints alone.SIAM technical director Ravindra Jagtap said companies should face prosecution only after lab reports establish that seed samples have failed quality standards. “In several cases, FIRs appear to have been registered before lab confirmation. Action should be based on scientific evidence. And, companies found guilty should be made to compensate affected farmers,” he said.Despite the surge in complaints, the agriculture department does not expect any significant impact on the state’s soybean production this year. Mandhare clarified that poor germination has been reported on only about 6,450 hectares, a small fraction of Maharashtra’s over 41 lakh hectares under soybean cultivation. “At present, we do not foresee any substantial impact on overall soybean production solely due to seed quality issues,” he said.Soybean is Maharashtra’s principal oilseed crop and has become a dependable cash crop across Vidarbha, Marathwada and increasingly Western Maharashtra; average annual production is in the range of 45-55 lakh tonnes.Clamour for accountabilityFarmer leaders have said the ongoing episode should serve as an opportunity to strengthen regulations of the seed industry and improve transparency across the seed supply chain.Farmer activist Anil Ghanwat said restoring farmers’ confidence would depend on prompt investigations and visible accountability. “Tillers invest heavily in certified seeds with the expectation of reliable germination. Every complaint should be investigated quickly and transparently, and companies found responsible should be held accountable while affected cultivators receive timely compensation,” he said.Agriculture activist Vilas Tathod from Akola said repeated complaints over successive years indicate the need for more effective regulatory oversight. “The recurrence of these complaints suggests that enforcement mechanisms require significant strengthening. Unless strict action is consistently taken against proven violations, confidence in the certified seed system will continue to erode,” he said.Veteran farm leader Vijay Jawandhia urged authorities to closely examine the traceability of foundation seeds supplied by companies. “The investigation should establish whether companies have maintained complete records of seed production, including details of the farms and growers involved. A transparent audit of the seed supply chain is essential to identify systemic shortcomings and ensure long-term accountability,” he said.
