The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released ₹15.52 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) proceeds from M/s. Pioneer Overseas Corporation, which developed ten commercial mustard (Brassica juncea) hybrid varieties using India's biological resources. The amount will be distributed among 26 State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs) based on the area under mustard cultivation in each state.
Since the parental lines for these varieties were sourced from the open market and traders with no single identifiable farmer or community source, the NBA constituted an Expert Committee to establish disbursal modalities. The approved methodology directs that when biological resources are accessed from intermediaries, ABS proceeds are shared among SBBs/UTBCs where the resource is cultivated. The NBA utilized cultivation-area data from ICAR–Indian Institute of Rapeseed-Mustard Research (ICAR-IIRMR), Bharatpur, Rajasthan to calculate state-wise allocations.
Rajasthan, accounting for nearly 42% of India's mustard cultivation, receives the highest benefit of ₹6.43 crore. Other major recipients include Uttar Pradesh (₹2.28 crore), Madhya Pradesh (₹1.86 crore), Haryana (₹1.21 crore), and West Bengal (₹1.10 crore). The complete distribution includes Jharkhand (₹0.73 crore), Assam (₹0.53 crore), Gujarat (₹0.48 crore), Bihar (₹0.15 crore), Punjab (₹0.08 crore), and others (₹0.67 crore).
All SBBs and UTBCs must utilize the ABS amounts as mandated by Section 32 of the Biological Diversity Act, which includes conservation-linked activities; documenting and updating People's Biodiversity Registers; in-situ and ex-situ conservation; ecosystem restoration; strengthening Biodiversity Heritage Sites; capacity building for Biodiversity Management Committees; and improving community livelihoods.
This release represents the NBA's ongoing implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, ensuring fair benefit sharing when India's genetic resources create commercial value, aligned with the Nagoya Protocol and Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The NBA has released a total ABS amount of ₹182.5 crore to date, with ₹116.22 crore distributed to beneficiaries across the country in the last 12 months.