Minister Niranjan warn traders against selling cotton seeds at exorbitant prices

Hyderabad: Minister for Agriculture Singireddy Niranjan Reddy cautioned that stringent action would be initiated against those who sell the cotton seeds at exorbitant prices to farmers.

In a release here on Tuesday, the Agriculture Minister said the cotton farmers in general use a BG11 variety of Hybrid seed for the cultivation and all the cotton seeds are the same produced by different companies.

He has informed that the Union government has fixed the maximum price of Rs 450 for 400 grams cotton seed packet and farmers should not buy any brand of seed at higher prices than the prescribed MRP.

Even though the price of seeds is fixed by the Union government, the State governments will monitor the situation on the seeds distribution and its sales in their respective areas, Niranjan Reddy said.

Stating that some seed companies are creating an artificial scarcity in the market in a bid to take advantage of the situation, the Minister said the State government would not spare those companies or dealers selling the seeds at more than the MRP and would not hesitate to slap criminal cases and cancellation of dealerships.

Agriculture Minister Niranjan Reddy said that it has been estimated that the cotton crop will be cultivated in about 65 lakh acres in Telangana this season and there is requirement of 58,500 tonnes of cotton seeds.

He further said there is availability of about 77,500 tonnes of cotton seeds in the market and farmers need not worry about the seeds.