Seed industry seeks gene-editing approvals as India targets larger global trade share
FSII is urging faster approval of gene-editing and GM crop technologies to develop higher-yield, climate-resilient seeds. India’s $3.6 billion seed market is projected to exceed $5 billion by 2030, while the industry targets a 10% share of global seed trade by 2035.
What happened
Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) · India’s seed industry urged the government to approve gene-editing and GM crop technologies, arguing they can
Key facts
- China has developed rice varieties yielding more than 10 tonnes per hectare
- Hybrid technology has doubled Indian productivity over the past 20 years
- Conventional food-crop productivity historically took about 25 years to double
- GM crops are cultivated in 63 countries
- More than 120 countries consume GM food and feed
What changed
India’s seed industry urged the government to approve gene-editing and GM crop technologies, arguing they can speed climate-resilient, pest-tolerant and higher-yield seed development. FSII targets 10% of global seed trade by 2035 as India’s $3.6 billion seed market grows.
Why this matters
Faster gene-editing approvals could expand access to higher-yield, climate-resilient seeds, improving supply reliability and crop-quality consistency across agricultural retail channels.
What to watch
- Government notification simplifying or clarifying biosafety requirements for specific gene-edited crop categories.
- Approval of commercially meaningful traits beyond research trials, particularly in rice, mustard, maize, cotton, soybean or vegetables.
- State government decisions on cultivation, procurement and extension support for edited or GM-linked seed technologies.
- Changes in seed export volumes, export destinations and India’s share of global seed trade.
- Investment, licensing or acquisition activity by global seed-trait companies and domestic hybrid-seed producers.
Also reported by
- The Hindu BusinessLine — Same time