Agricultural patent analysis during 2005–2012 in India

Abstract

The study was conducted to monitor the trend of patenting activity in agriculture sector during 2005 to 2012 in India based on 3,718 published patent applications and 1,041 granted patents of the Indian Patent Office weblink, IPAIRS Version 2.0. There was gradual increase in patenting activity during 2005 to 2012 in different sectors of agriculture. Maximum percentage of patent applications were filed in biocides, pest repellants or attractants and plant growth regulators (60%), followed by new plants or processes for obtaining them (9.35%), animal husbandry, silk rearing or breeding new animal breeds (7.48%) and horticulture, cultivation, forestry (5.91%). Diversification in Indian agriculture was also noticeable during the period 2005 to 2012 as dairy products and animal husbandry registered 19.0 and 5.78 times increase in patenting activity over the period 1995–2004 besides development of new plants and processes (10.87 times) and horticulture and cultivation forestry rising (5.87 times). Public sector organisations and companies sector must forge public-private partnerships to address the R&D gaps and generate technologies at affordable prices in the field of agriculture to the stakeholders in the developing countries in the backdrop of product patent regime.