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Immediate
release of Bt cotton for kharif season demanded
Our
Economic Bureau in New Delhi
Rajya Sabha MP and president of Bharti Kisan Union,
Bhupinder Singh Mann has demanded immediate release of Bt cotton
seeds for commercial cultivation in coming kharif season.
In a press release, Mr Mann alleged that the farmers of north
India have suffered heavy losses by sowing conventional hybrid
cotton seeds, while their counterparts in Gujarat benefited
by sowing Bt cotton which were supplied to them in guise of
hybrid seeds.
It is high time that the government permit the sale of Bt cotton
seeds for commercial cultivation. Bt cotton seeds has been tested
and proven for its better yields since last six year and hence
there should not be any further delay to release this variety
for commercial cultivation.
He said that farmers knows what is best for them. They should
be given a choice and the government should not withhold Bt
cotton unnecessarily. Indis farmers should also be given a chance
to compete with their counterparts in other countries by increasing
their yield and incomes.
Mr Mann said that the official estimate of the government, the
loss to cotton growers in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab on account
of incidence of American bollworm is about Rs 1,363.61 crore.
In Punjab about 4.53 lakh hectare cotton area was affected,
in Haryana about 3.55 lakh hectare cotton are was affected and
in Rajasthan about 2.85 lakh hectare cotton area was affected.
He said that the actual loss will be much higher than the government
estimates as these estimates are based on the minimum support
price and not the market prices which are higher. |
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