Date:25/11/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/11/25/stories/2004112502760500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Bt cotton farmers unlikely to get relief

By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao

WARANGAL, NOV. 24. Farmers in this backward district, particularly those who have opted for cotton, may have to swallow a bitter pill once again. The chances of getting compensation appear remote as officials contend that it will be given only in case of natural calamity.

Scores of farmers under the aegis of people's organisations have been asking the Government to make good the losses sustained on account of spurious seeds and fertilizers. There have been complaints from cotton farmers, especially those who have opted for Bt cotton.

Loss assessment

According to official data -- which is yet to be compiled -- Bt cottonseed was sown in over 40,000 acres. The assessment of loss undertaken by the district administration concluded that the damage was reported in 25,000 acres, where 20 to 40 per cent of crop was lost due to various reasons.

Several farmers complained that the Bt cottonseed had failed to germinate, but officials refuted this. Germination was reported, but the crop failed to yield expected volume of produce, they argued.

The plant did not grow to the expected height and bear bolls. The number of bolls in each non-Bt plant was 80 to 100 while Bt had less than 50. The damage on account of pest was equal on all varieties.

"The Bt seed is open to all vagaries of nature. Farmers are under the impression that they can just sow it and forget about it till harvest which is wrong," agricultural officials maintained.

`Compensation difficult'

Speaking to The Hindu , the district Collector, N. Siva Sankar, said since the failure of crop was attributed to other reasons such as low rainfall, low yields and non-flowering, it would be difficult to compensate for losses. "Wilting away of flower before forming into boll and other pest-related diseases have been reported from many corners," he explained.

The Collector contended that the district administration could press the seed dealers to compensate for the losses suffered by farmers if their promises of excellent yield were found far from reality.

Meanwhile, Hanamkonda MLA, M. Satyanarayana Reddy, has been asking the district administration to ensure insurance coverage to farmers who have insured their crops in Hasanparthy mandal. He complained that the Agricultural Insurance Company of India was trying to evade payment of compensation stating that rainfall was normal.

According to the officials at the Agricultural Research Centre here, the average rainfall registered from June to September accounted for 311.7 mm as against the normal rainfall of 796 mm.