India: Mill in Vadodara raided, bootleg Bt cotton seized

Mill in Vadodara raided, bootleg Bt cotton seized

Express India, Ahmedaba Newsline, 19 Dec 2004

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=110986

Seized goods have been sent to laboratories for genetic testing.

Vadodara, December 19: A TEAM of state agriculture officers confiscated 1,100 kgs of illegal BT cotton crop and 67 kgs of illegal BT cotton seeds during a raid at a ginning mill in Vadodara district on Sunday. The seized goods have been sent to laboratories in Gandhinagar and Nagpur for further genetic testing. The raid took place at Ganesh Engineering Works in Sadhli village, Sinor taluka, Vadodara district. According to agriculture officers, the crackdown came after they received an anonymous tip-off about the illegal use of BT cotton seeds by farmers of the area. A Dabhoi-based farmer, Yogesh Patel, is alleged to have bought the cotton crop for ginning here. The agriculture department has also issued notices against such unauthorised usage of illegal BT cotton or its ginning. Cotton farmers are not happy about the crackdown. Vipin Patel of the Gujarat Khedut Samaj said: 'The state government is acting at the behest of multinationals, namely Monsanto company.' He said ginning mills could not be raided in such a manner as it was difficult to determine the legality of the cotton crop. Patel alleged that acting on the behest of multinational seed companies, the state government was trampling on farmers' right to experiment in their own fields. 'This is not the first time that such a crackdown has taken place. As earlier, the farmers will oppose the move in peaceful manner,' he said.