Plants Breeder’s Rights (PBR) and royalty payments are the primary source of revenue for breeders. These mechanism are essential for incentivizing innovations enabling development of new varieties. Apart from aesthetic values, the new varieties are also resilient to the climate change. However, PBR and royalty payments are often overlooked as the focus shifts to production and immediate market needs. When breeder’s rights are not properly valued, it hampers innovation and prevents floriculture sector from reaching its full potential.
In India, the concepts of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) and royalties were virtually absent until the late 1980s. The 1988 Seed Development Policy improved access to quality plant material but failed to convey the significance of these concepts, as the focus remained on domestic markets. With the rise of export-oriented floriculture in the 1990s, royalty payments were viewed as an added cost without recognizing their true value. Despite the 2001 Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPVFRA), which aimed to protect breeders’ rights, the lack of alignment with the international UPOV system led to skepticism abroad and limited access to new varieties. This has resulted in widespread unauthorized propagation of imported plant material.
The Indian floriculture sector holds significant promise in terms of both volume and quality of produce. The country offers cost-effective solutions for diversifying production and supply chains. However, there is hesitance among global breeders, including Dutch stakeholders, about introducing their newest varieties in India due to concerns about the payment of royalties and breeders’ rights. This has contributed to stagnation, preventing the Indian floriculture sector from realizing its full potential.
Against this backdrop, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in India commissioned a study on royalty payments and breeders’ rights in the Indian floriculture sector. The report of this study has been compiled after thorough consultation with stakeholders and sector experts from across the global floriculture value chain. The report documents diverse perspectives and offers a comprehensive problem statement for enabling the floriculture sector in India.
Source: Agroberichten Buitenland
Publication date:
Mon 12 May 2025
