BANGALORE: The State Government has fixed the price of genetically modified Bt cotton seeds at Rs. 750 for a packet of 450 gm as against Rs. 1,450 fixed by Monsanto Biotech-India Ltd. for the same quantity of seed.

Stating this at a press conference here on Tuesday, Minister for Agriculture Bandeppa Kashempur said the Government issued an order on June 5 directing eight private companies to supply disease-resistant Bt cotton seeds to farmers at Rs. 750 for a packet of 450 gm.

The governments of seven States where Bt cotton is being grown held a meeting in Hyderabad on Friday. They appealed to the Centre to join them and plead the case against Monsanto Biotech-India.

Monsanto Biotech-India has moved the Supreme Court against a Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) order to reduce the price for a packet of 450 gm of Bt cotton seeds.

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