BT cotton rates fixed at Rs 750 per packet

Bhopal, June 4 (UNI) The retail rate of BT cotton seed has been reduced to Rs 750 per packet across Madhya Pradesh with immediate effect in view of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's announcement in this regard.

The price of BT cotton seed up to 2005-06 including technology duty ranged from Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,800 per packet.

After reducing the duty by about 30 per cent in 2006-07, the selling rates of one packet -- which contains 450 gram BT cotton seed and 120 gram of non-BT cotton seed -- remained Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,700.

Following the CM's announcement, the retail rate of B T cotton seed, including technology duty, has been fixed to Rs 750 per packet, an official release said here today.

Apprising companies of this change in rate, the Agriculture Department has issued instructions that BT cotton seed be made available to farmers in time and sufficient quantity as per MRTPC guidelines.

This instruction has been issued to all the deputy directors along with the Collectors.

Agriculture Minister Chaudhary Chandrabhan Singh today said thousands of cotton growing farmers would be benefited with the control over rate.

At present, the area of BT cotton cultivation has been increased to about 2.57 lakh hectares for which about more than six lakh packet seeds would be required, the release added.

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