Unapproved HTBt cotton seeds worth Rs 1.53 cr seized in 9 distts of State

Staff Reporter

Even as the farmers’ wait for good rains continues to start Kharif sowing operations in full swing, many are falling prey to sale of sub-standard or even spurious agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. As per the official data, unapproved herbicide-tolerant cotton seeds, popularly referred to as HTBt cotton seeds, worth Rs 1.53 crore have been seized in the State so far. Maharashtra has 41.29 lakh hectare of area under cotton. According to Agriculture Department officials, who wished to be unnamed, 98 per cent of area is under Bt cotton varieties. For Kharif season, usually, 1.60 lakh packets of Bt cotton are used by farmers. For each hectare, four/five packets weighing 475 grammes each are used by farmers. However, for the past some years, HTBt cotton seeds are being used by farmers despite those being unapproved. Since the Government has not yet approved HTBt cotton seeds, their use is considered illegal. As per the unofficial estimates for the last year’s Kharif season, around 20 per cent of the area under cotton in the country was under HTBt cotton varieties. These seeds are mostly produced in Gujarat and are sold in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

This year also, Quality Control Squads of Agriculture Department have initiated action against sale of unapproved HTBt cotton seeds. As per the official data, till June 16, HTBt cotton seed stock of 14,231 kgs was seized in nine districts of Maharashtra. These nine districts include Dhule, Nandurbar, Parbhani, Jalgaon, Gadchiroli, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur. The total value of the seized stock is Rs 1.5357 crore. The highest 838 packets of unapproved HTBt cotton seeds weighing 14,210 kgs worth Rs 1.2063 were seized in Wardha district of Nagpur Division in Vidarbha region. A case has been registered at Sewagram Police Station in this regard. A total of 13 cases have been registered in above-mentioned nine districts of the State. Meanwhile, as agricultural inputs are supplied to the entire State through Akola-based godowns, Agriculture Department conducted a special three-day inspection drive through 14 teams comprising Quality Control Inspector and local inspectors. In these three days last month, the Agriculture Department squad inspected godowns of 62 companies, collected 184 samples for testing. The department issued ‘stop sale’ orders for inputs worth Rs 26,37,14,100/- of 45 companies and sent the samples for laboratory testing at Amravati.

As far as cumulative details of action taken so far are concerned, Quality Control Squads of Agriculture Department conducted inspection at the shops of 71,696 input sellers and facilities of 1,159 manufacturers across the State. of total 7,634 samples tested in laboratories, 285 were found to be liable for court cases. Of these, matters have been filed in court in 23 cases. In 140 cases, ‘censuring’ was done. In all, 425 samples were found unapproved. As per the official data, total 340.15 metric tonnes of stock of various agricultural inputs was seized till June 30. The seized stock is worth Rs 4.4141 crore. Besides, in 356 cases, license of the seller has been suspended and in 84 cases the licence has been cancelled. In 1,289 cases, ‘stop sale’ orders have been issued, and in 40 cases, police complaint has been lodged against the concerned. Of 40 cases, 21 are relating to seed sellers.