Supreme Court to hear PepsiCo–farmers dispute over Lay’s potato variety rights
India’s Supreme Court will examine PepsiCo’s breeder-rights claim over FL 2027 potatoes used for Lay’s chips, against farmers’ legal right to grow, save, exchange and sell seed. The ruling could shape crop-IP enforcement and contract sourcing in FMCG.
India’s Supreme Court will hear a challenge over PepsiCo’s breeder rights for FL 2027 potatoes used in Lay’s chips, pitting the company’s plant-variety registration against farmers’ statutory rights to grow, save, exchange and sell seeds.
Why this matters
The case adds legal risk as PepsiCo expands India operations, following plans for an Assam snack plant, an Ujjain concentrate facility and a Rs 5,700 crore India investment push.
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