Gujarat to sell subsidised Bt cotton seeds to farmers

The state government agency plans to sell more than 125,000 packets of Bt-1 and Bt-2 seeds. Though the farmers have reaped rich harvest by opting for Bt cotton, they tend to get confused in selection of standardised seeds since around 83 recognised and unrecognised companies sell Bt cotton seeds in the state.

To deal with the standardisation issue, a committee of officials from the agriculture directorate of the state, cotton scientists and experts was formed. The committee has identified select varieties of Bt cotton seeds. Now the corporation would be selling these varieties under its own symbol, said P R Shah, managing director, GSSCL.

The corporation is ready with a stock of 125,000 packets of 450 gm each for the next kharif season. The stock includes 25,000 packets of Bt-1 and the rest of Bt-2 seeds. The current market prices of leading Bt cotton seeds are hovering around Rs 750 per packet for single genes. On the other hand, the corporation will supply the seeds at Rs 700 and Rs 875 per packet, respectively.

"If the demand increased, GSSCL could make available additional 50,000 packets," Shah added. The corporation has already dispatched seed packets to 890 centres including distribution centres of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Co (GNFC) and Gujarat Stare Fertilisers & Chemicals (GSFC), Gujarat Agro business centres and to its godowns.