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New Delhi, Dec 8: The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) has asked Monsanto, US seed multinational to respond within four weeks to the Andhra Pradesh government’s contention that it was liable to pay compensation to the farmers for selling Bt cottonseeds at exorbitant prices.
In response, Monsanto said that its Indian subsidiary Mahyco—Monsanto Biotech (MMB) was responsible for operations in the country. Opposing Monsanto’s contention, the state government had said the US company has been controlling stake in its sister concern and demanded refund of the excessive money paid by cotton growers on the company’s Bt cotton seeds.
In reply Monsanto said the state government had no right to seek compensation from it, as it was not a direct consumer.
But MRTPC chairman Justice OP Dwivedi on Thursday did not accepted Monsanto’s argument that it was not responsible for the situation and its name should be deleted as a party to the case.
Navadanya Trust, an NGO headed by Vandana Shiva, has filed an impleadment application seeking to be a party in the case along with the state government. According to Navdanya, “Monsanto was trying to “bypass Indian laws” and establish a claim to trait values in Bt cotton seeds which was specifically excluded under the Patents Act, 1970. Since the Act excludes patents on seeds and plants, collection of royalty from years of seed production and trait embodied in the genetic material was illegal under Indian laws.”
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