New Delhi, August 2026: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released ₹15.52 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism from the commercial use of Indian biological resources for developing mustard hybrid varieties.

The funds, received from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, will be distributed among 26 State Biodiversity Boards and three Union Territory Biodiversity Councils. The allocation has been calculated primarily according to the area under mustard cultivation in each State and Union Territory.

Mustard Genetic Resources Linked to Commercial Varieties

Pioneer Overseas Corporation developed 10 commercial hybrid varieties of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). While the company developed the hybrids through its own breeding programme, the parental lines used in the process had been obtained from open-market sources and traders.

Since it was not possible to identify a particular farmer, community or traditional knowledge holder as the original source of the biological resources, the National Biodiversity Authority established an Expert Committee to determine an appropriate mechanism for distributing the ABS proceeds.

The Authority subsequently approved the committee's recommendations.

How the ABS Amount Is Being Distributed

Under the approved mechanism, when biological resources are obtained through intermediaries and their original providers cannot be specifically identified, the benefit-sharing proceeds can be distributed among the biodiversity authorities of the areas where those resources are cultivated.

For this exercise, the NBA used mustard cultivation-area data obtained from the ICAR–Indian Institute of Rapeseed-Mustard Research (ICAR-IIRMR), Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

This approach ensures that States with a larger contribution to mustard cultivation receive a proportionately larger share of the proceeds.

States Receiving the Highest Shares

RankStateAmount Released
1Rajasthan₹6.43 crore
2Uttar Pradesh₹2.28 crore
3Madhya Pradesh₹1.86 crore
4Haryana₹1.21 crore
5West Bengal₹1.10 crore
6Jharkhand₹0.73 crore
7Assam₹0.53 crore
8Gujarat₹0.48 crore
9Bihar₹0.15 crore
10Punjab₹0.08 crore
—Other States and UTs₹0.67 crore

Rajasthan receives the largest allocation at ₹6.43 crore, reflecting its significant contribution to India's mustard cultivation. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh follow with ₹2.28 crore and ₹1.86 crore, respectively.

Because mustard is cultivated across a wide geographical area, the ABS distribution extends to biodiversity authorities in almost every part of the country.

Funds to Support Biodiversity Conservation

The ABS funds are not intended merely as general financial assistance. State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils are required to utilise the money for activities connected with biodiversity conservation and sustainable community development.

Potential areas of utilisation include:

  • Conservation of biological resources in natural habitats
  • Ex-situ conservation programmes
  • Preparation and updating of People's Biodiversity Registers
  • Restoration of degraded ecosystems
  • Strengthening Biodiversity Heritage Sites
  • Capacity building of Biodiversity Management Committees
  • Conservation-related community initiatives
  • Activities that improve livelihoods linked to biodiversity resources

This creates a direct connection between the commercial utilisation of biological resources and investment in their conservation.

Strengthening India's Benefit-Sharing Mechanism

The release represents another step in India's implementation of the Access and Benefit Sharing framework under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

The ABS system is designed to ensure that commercial utilisation of India's biological resources does not result in benefits flowing exclusively to commercial entities. Instead, a portion of the economic value generated from such resources is channelled towards biodiversity conservation and communities and institutions associated with biological-resource management.

The mechanism also aligns with the broader international principle of fair and equitable sharing of benefits associated with genetic resources, including the objectives reflected in the Nagoya Protocol and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

₹182.5 Crore Released So Far

The latest mustard-related distribution forms part of the NBA's broader ABS implementation efforts.

According to the National Biodiversity Authority, ₹182.5 crore has been released through the ABS mechanism so far. Of this, ₹116.22 crore has been released during the past 12 months, indicating a significant increase in the pace of benefit-sharing disbursements.

The mustard case is particularly notable because it demonstrates how ABS funds can be distributed even when biological resources have passed through commercial intermediaries and the original individual or community source cannot be identified.

What This Means for Agriculture and Biodiversity

Mustard is one of India's important oilseed crops, and its genetic diversity has considerable value for plant breeding and agricultural development. The latest ABS distribution highlights the economic importance of biological resources while reinforcing the need to conserve the genetic diversity that supports crop improvement.

By linking commercial use with conservation funding, the ABS framework seeks to create a cycle in which biological resources generate economic value while part of that value is reinvested in protecting biodiversity.

The release of ₹15.52 crore for mustard genetic resources therefore represents more than a financial transfer. It demonstrates an effort to connect agricultural innovation, genetic-resource utilisation, biodiversity conservation and equitable benefit sharing within India's legal framework.