Spurious seeds worth Rs 2.07 crore seized

Cyberabad: To curb growing menace of spurious seeds, SOT teams Shamshabad zone seized 1.5 tonnes of BG II cotton seeds from a goods vehicle at the Shadnagar toll plaza. Another team of the Balanagar zone confiscated 1.54 tonnes of spurious BG III cotton seeds during a raid on a house. Also,14.4 tonnes of expired maize, paddy and bajra seeds were seized from the Gubba cold storage. Total value of the seized spurious and expired seeds is Rs 2.07 crore.

The accused were identified as Kanala Mahesh (39), Gollapedda Doddanna (37) and Chakali Jayanna (35), who were apprehended at the Shadnagar toll booth. House-owner Shaik Kalesha Vali, an alleged spurious seed seller, was arrested during a raid on the house at Balanagar. The other accused are:Pulyala Ravi (43), Pedhi Purnachander (51) and Shaik Ghouse Lajam (39), who were nabbed from the cold storage.

VC Sajjanar, Cyberabad Police Commissioner, said:: The spurious seeds were property of two companies, Invicta Agritech India and Deccan Core Crops Science. Every year, during the sowing season, Vali studied the market, analyse and shortlist companies whose seeds have demand. He approached Mahesh for procuring rejected seeds from farmers at a cheaper rate."

"Mahesh, who is in seed business from several years, has experience of procuring and selling seeds. After getting feedback from Vali, he approached organisers, like Doddanna, who contacted local farmers for their rejected seeds. Mahesh and Shiva Shankar would sell them to Vali for a commission. After procuring seeds, he prepared fake seed pouches of companies and sold them through mediators and to farmers," stated Sajjanar.

The police requested farmers to call 94906-17444 if they come across spurious or expired seeds.