The Agriculture Minister of Telangana, S Niranjan Reddy, has warned that strict action will be taken against those who sell cotton seeds at higher prices to farmers. He stated that all cotton seeds are the same and produced by different companies, and that the Union government has fixed the maximum price of Rs 450 for a 400-gram cotton seed packet.
While the price of seeds is fixed by the Union government, State governments will monitor the situation and sales in their respective areas. The Minister stated that some seed companies are creating an artificial scarcity to take advantage of the situation. The State government will not spare those companies or dealers selling seeds at more than the MRP and will not hesitate to take legal action.
The Minister estimated that cotton will be cultivated in about 65 lakh acres in Telangana this season, and there is a requirement of 58,500 tonnes of cotton seeds. There is availability of about 77,500 tonnes of cotton seeds in the market, and farmers need not worry about the seeds.
