Senate approves extension of cultivar protection period

The Senate Agriculture Committee (CRA) approved, in a supplementary round, a bill that extends the term of protection for cultivars in Brazil. The measure extends the term of protection to 20 years.

In addition, the bill restricts the possibility of farmers saving seeds to plant in subsequent harvests. The text amends the law by including the following provision:

"III - the provisions of item I [possibility of saving seeds] only apply to crops managed by producers who hold possession or control of rural properties with an area equivalent to at least four fiscal modules, calculated in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 4.504, of November 30, 1964, or one hundred and fifty hectares, whichever is greater, when intended for production for industrial processing purposes;"

The project is now being analyzed by the Chamber of Deputies.

The amendment changes the Cultivar Protection Law (Law 9.456/1997), which currently guarantees a protection period of 15 to 18 years, depending on the type of cultivar.

The rapporteur of the proposal highlighted that the change is essential to promote the seedling production sector and to align with the guidelines of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), of which Brazil has been a signatory since 1999.

The full text of the project can be read at the link below.