AP Cabinet's nod for ordinance to protect cotton growers

Hyderabad, June 20 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet tonight gave its approval for promulgation of an ordinance to protect the interests of cotton farmers, in the wake of the Union Government taking seeds out of the purview of the Essential Commodities Act.

Taking note of the hardships caused to farmers, the Cabinet decided to promulgate the ordinance for regulating the supply, distribution, sale and fixation of sale price, Information Minister A Ramanarayana Reddy told reporters here.

The ordinance would ensure the quality of cotton seeds at production, processing and packing levels for increasing production and productivity, and fair distribution of cotton seeds among the cotton growing areas of the state, fair price of all desired cotton seeds, and regulate trade to prevent entry of spurious, misbranded, sub-standard cotton seeds, and ensure redressal of farmers affected by inferior quality of cotton seeds.

UNI