Seed Law (The State Peace and Development Council Law No. 1 / 2011)

The objectives of this Law aim to develop commercial flower/fruit and propagable and cultivable plant seed by cultivating and producing crops using pure seed for the development of the agricultural sector in Myanmar. The Law is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation which will appoint the formation of the National Seed Committee, responsible for the implementation of seed policy – including research, seed quality inspection bodies, packaging and issuance of a “recognition certification” (certificate recognizing the production or introduction of new plant varieties based on seed samples and quality). Certification shall follow after approval and lab testing at seed test laboratories. The Technical Seed Committee shall inspect and authorize whether production is appropriately cultivable in Myanmar, if better than existing varieties, and whether its production affects environmental biodiversity. The provisions contained in this Law shall not apply to the distribution and sale of seed produced by any farmer to another farmer (art. 31); however, farmers and seed researchers who produce seed in co-operation with departments and services under the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation shall be exempted from obtaining a licence under this Law. Distribution and sale of fruit, flower, plant and parts of plant are not permitted for multiplication. Administration and legal provisions are detailed in Chapter VIII, X and XI.