Agriculture Ministry softens stance on plant varieties protection

By Chalarntorn Yothasmutra

 

 

Agriculture Minister Chatchai Sarikalya said Wednesday that the Agricultural Technique Department might back off on its attempt to amend the Plant Varieties Protection Act if it is proven that the draft law will infringe on the rights of farmers.

 

The Plant Varieties Protection Act allows farmers to save commercial seeds to cultivate and share with other farmers for the new farming season.  But the draft proposed by the Agricultural Technique Department will deprive farmers of the right to save commercial seeds and they risk maximum jailterm of two years and/or a fine of 400,000 baht in case of violation of the law.

 

Minister Chatchai said he had ordered the Agricultural Technique Department to extend the period of public hearings on the controversial bill from October 20 to November 20 in order to allow more stake holders to express their views.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/agriculture-ministry-softens-stance-plant-varieties-protection/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-10-12

Just the big boys trying to maximise their profits at the average farmers expense. Monsanto did this with their genetically modified maize in the USA. They tried to prosecute farmers who kept genetically modified seed - including farmers who never bought it in the first place - based on if the relevant gene was present in their seed corn. Problem was that pollen blows on the wind - and so neighbours to farmers who used the genetically modified seed ended up with the genes in their seed corn.

 

Imagine the potential for the law in Thailand being used to force farmers to buy new seed every year from the seed companies, the average farmer would have no hope of fighting these cases in court.