NAGPUR: The state government is contemplating to bring about a deterrent legislation to check manufacture and sale of spurious seeds. Fake seeds, especially of Bt cotton, are in much circulation and many gullible farmers get cheated and buy them as they come cheap.
Spurious seeds cause immense harm as a farmer's whole year is wasted.
Addressing the state level kharif crop strategy meeting held in Pune on Monday, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said his government was planning to bring a stricter law. "Due to bogus seeds, farmers have to face a loss. Till now, if the seeds were found to be bogus then farmers were compensated the amount equal to that of the seeds," Chavan said. "Now we may have a legislation to compensate the losses suffered in entire production."
Chavan asserted that economic progress of the state was not possible without substantial growth in agriculture sector. More than 80% of farming is rain-fed and there is a need to develop it. Due to unseasonal rains farming was affected on a large scale. The government is mulling to introduce crop insurance on a larger scale, he said. The CM also instructed officials to ensure timely supply of fertilizers.
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