The Agriculture Minister of Hyderabad, S Niranjan Reddy, has warned sellers of cotton seeds that they will face strict consequences if they sell their products at a higher price than the maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 450 for a 400-gram packet. Farmers typically use a BG11 variety of hybrid seed for cotton cultivation, and all cotton seeds are produced by different companies. Although the Union government has fixed the price of cotton seeds, some companies are creating an artificial scarcity in the market to take advantage of farmers. The State government will monitor the situation and take action against companies and dealers who sell seeds above the MRP.
The Minister estimates that cotton crops will be cultivated in about 65 lakh acres in Telangana this season, requiring 58,500 tonnes of cotton seeds. Approximately 77,500 tonnes of cotton seeds are available in the market, and farmers need not worry about seed availability.
