AIKS wants seed prices under check

Vijayawada, Jan 3 (UNI) The All India Kishan Sabha (AIKS) today asked the Congress-led UPA Government and the state government to immediately control seed prices as companies were charging exorbitant rates.

Addressing the press here, AIKS Vice-President K Nageswara Rao claimed the seed companies were charging Rs 2.75 lakh for a kilo of foreign hybrid carica papaya seeds though the normal price of the seeds was Rs 250 a kg.

Similarly, Indian hybrid chilli seed price was Rs 350 a kg but the multinationals were charging Rs 1.50 lakh for a kg of hybrid foreign seeds.

He found fault with the UPA Government for not enacting the Seed Bill 2004 in the Winter Session of Parliament, aimed at controlling the seed prices and checking supply of fake seeds.

Mr Reddy described as incorrect Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy's purported statement that seed prices had been brought under control.

Only prices of Bt cotton seeds sold by the US-based Monasanto had been brought to normal levels after the APRS filed a petition with the Monopoly Restrictive Trade Practices Court (MRTPC) against the excessive prices charged by it, he claimed.

UNI