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Govt seeks opinions on Bt cotton technology licensing
01 Jun '16
2 min read
The Agriculture Ministry has put up the draft licensing guidelines for Bt cotton technology for comments and suggestions from all stakeholders so that relevant proposals can be incorporated.
The notification will remain in the public domain for 90 days.
At a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh clarified that the Centre's decision to cap the price of Bt cotton seed in March this year at Rs 800 per packet of 450 grams had not been rolled-back.
“Comments have been invited only on the licensing guidelines for new traits of genetically modified cotton. The decision on capping the price of Bt cotton seed remains,” Singh said at the press conference held to mark two years of governance.
US-based agro major Monsanto's Indian arm, MMBL, had challenged the government's price cap order. The case is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 31.
The Minister said agriculture production in 2016-17 will increase if the monsoon stays true to forecasts.
Singh pointed out that despite lower rainfall in 2015-16 farm production had not taken a hit, mainly due to the development of drought-resistant varieties of seeds.
“If agriculture production did not fall when rainfall was less, it is bound to increase if rainfall is plenty this year,” Singh reasoned. (SH)
The notification will remain in the public domain for 90 days.
At a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh clarified that the Centre's decision to cap the price of Bt cotton seed in March this year at Rs 800 per packet of 450 grams had not been rolled-back.
“Comments have been invited only on the licensing guidelines for new traits of genetically modified cotton. The decision on capping the price of Bt cotton seed remains,” Singh said at the press conference held to mark two years of governance.
US-based agro major Monsanto's Indian arm, MMBL, had challenged the government's price cap order. The case is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 31.
The Minister said agriculture production in 2016-17 will increase if the monsoon stays true to forecasts.
Singh pointed out that despite lower rainfall in 2015-16 farm production had not taken a hit, mainly due to the development of drought-resistant varieties of seeds.
“If agriculture production did not fall when rainfall was less, it is bound to increase if rainfall is plenty this year,” Singh reasoned. (SH)
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