Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Tribals edgy, govt stops plying pet Monsanto seeds

Tribals edgy, govt stops plying pet Monsanto seeds

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Apr 27, 2012   modified Modified on Apr 27, 2012

-Express News Service

Ahmedabad: The state government has decided not to purchase and distribute Monsanto maize seeds to tribal farmers any more following fears expressed by them that these seeds could cause male and female infertility.

Instead, these farmers can buy any of the government-certified seeds from open market and then claim subsidy from their respective district agriculture officers.

The decision was taken jointly by the state’s agriculture and the tribal ministry on Wednesday following written complaints by tribal farmers from across the state.

The issue had stirred a political debate in the run-up to the December 2012 Assembly elections. The opposition Congress had raised the issue in the Assembly’s budget session last month.

Tribals account for about 15 per cent of the state’s population and influence results for about 50 Assembly seats.

The state government began purchasing and distributing Monsanto maize seeds under the brand name of “Prabal” since the inception of Project Sunshine under the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana in 2008. Under the scheme, over 5 lakh tribal farmers were being provided “Prabal” seeds for free. Non-tribal farmers were given subsidies ranging from 33 per cent to 50 per cent, depending on their financial status.

Though the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and NGOs like Jatan and ASHA had been opposing the distribution of Monsanto maize seeds, which is a double-cross hybrid, the state government ignored the protests.

Now, Monsanto will lose its monopoly over maize seed sale in the state. The decision will also allow fair play to other seed companies since the state government was procuring and distributing Monsanto seeds only.

State Agriculture Minister Dileep Sanghani told The Indian Express: “The state government will no more buy the seeds and distribute it to the farmers. We have allowed to the farmers to buy any seed certified by the state government’s seed development agency and submit the bills to the their respective district agriculture officers to claim 100 per cent subsidy.”

He said the state government did not want to land itself in any controversy. “Let the farmers buy a seed of their preference,” the minister said.

He admitted that the state government working as a distributing agency for “free” seeds had left no alternative for the farmers.

BKS, Jatan and ASHA (Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture) on Thursday welcomed the state government’s decision to withdraw itself from purchase and distribution of Monsanto seeds.

BKP’s state president Maganbhai Patel, Jatan representative Kapil Shah and ASHA representative Kavitha said that the state government’s role in the whole project had become questionable and hence they had opposed it.

A statement released by Monsanto said that the company was not aware of the government decision. It also added that the maize seed had been tested at the Anand Agricultural University and no adverse effect was reported on health or fertility.

Express India, 27 April, 2012, http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/tribals-edgy-govt-stops-plying-pet-monsanto-seeds/942247/


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close