Bring down seed prices, Gujarat tells BT firms

The ultimatum was issued following a meeting of state agriculture department officials, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh office bearers and representatives of BT cotton companies.

We represented that these companies do not give proper prices to farmers who grow BT cotton seeds on behalf of these companies.

There is a huge difference in prices between what they procure from farmers and what they sell at, said Maganbhai Patel, general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh. The body has been demanding that while farmers get a better return on seeds, the companies should slash prices.

Companies pay Rs 125 per pack to farmers. The same pack is sold at Rs 750 to Rs 900 by these companies. Farmers are at a risk of weather changes and water shortages.

The returns they get are minimal, he said. Gujarat contributes around 50 to 70 per cent to India