Centre's nod to Bt Cotton in Haryana

The Centre has permitted the commercial cultivation of six varieties Bt Cotton hybrids in Haryana, a state agriculture department spokesman said today.

The permitted hybrids were RCII-134 bt, RCH-317 bt of Rasi Seed co., MRC-6301 bt, and MRC-6304 bt, of Mehyco co., and Ankur-651 bt, and Ankur-2534 bt of Ankur Seed Co.

He said that the hybrid seeds would be available for farmers through the sale outlets of institutional agencies like, Haryana State Seeds Development Corporation, Haryana Land Reclamation Corporation and other authorised private dealers of Rasi Seed company, Mehyco Seeds Company and Ankur Seeds Company.

He added the sale of seeds of any other bt.Hybrid in the state by any seed dealer was "illegal and unauthorised", for which action as per the provision of seed act, seed control order and environment protection act (EPA) would be taken.

He said that the sale hybrid seeds would be monitored by the department of agriculture and a strict vigil would be maintained throughout the state by flying squads of the department.

The spokesman added that cotton was an important commercial crop of haryana, grown over an area of 600,000 hectares in the districts of Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, jind, Rohtak, Rewari and Mehendergarh.