CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Maize corns have not been formed properly as a result of which farmers in parts of Bellary taluk are apprehending heavy loss in yield.

BELLARY: A committee, headed by Assistant Commissioner, and several sub-committees have been constituted to assess the loss in yield of pinnacle variety maize in parts of Bellary taluk. The seeds of the pinnacle variety maize were released to the market by Monsanto, a multi-national company. The sub-committees, comprising Village Accountant, Agricultural Assistant and two farmers' representatives would go around areas from where there were reports of fall in maize yield, assess the extent of loss and report to the main committee.

The farmers should produce bills for having purchased Monsanto seeds before the committee.

The main committee, headed by Assistant Commissioner, with the Joint Director of Agriculture, two agricultural scientists, two representatives of Monsanto company and two representatives of farmers as its members, would forward the report to Monsanto to enable it to give compensation to the farmers.

Meetings held

This decision was taken after a marathon meeting of the officials, farmers, led by N. Suryanarayan Reddy, Kurgodu MLA and representatives of Monsanto held here on Monday evening, according to T.H.M. Kumar, Assistant Commissioner Bellary.

Hundreds of farmers in Tirumal Nagar, Tirumal nagar camp, B. Gonal village Rupanagudi, Shankarbanda and surrounding places, where the pinnacle variety maize seeds of Monsanto were sown on about 5,000 acres of land, were shocked when the maize corn was not properly formed.

Later they approached Mr. Suryanarayan Reddy urged him to intervene in the matter and get them suitable compensation.

In turn Mr. Reddy, after visiting the fields, led a delegation to the Monsanto seeds processing unit located at Siriwar village on the outskirts of the city and staged dharna along with hundreds of farmers.

He demanded that the farmers be given compensation. He also approached the district administration to look into the matter.

A meeting of all concerned was convened and farmers demanded that the loss should be compensated. Farmers informed that they opted for the pinnacle variety after seeing the field demonstration and also based on the claims of company representatives that the variety would yield 50 to 60 quintals per acre. But contrary to the claims, maize corns were not formed and they sustained losses. They demanded that the company compensate them immediately. The meeting was inconclusive when the representatives of the company said they would talk to their senior officers and come back.

Even the second meeting, held on the subsequent day was inconclusive when the representatives of the company insisted that a proper scientific survey had to be done before deciding on compensation.

On Monday, during the third round of meeting in which senior officials of the company from Mumbai and Delhi had participated, it was agreed by all that committees be formed to assess the loss of yield. The sub-committees would begin their work from Tuesday and submit its report on November 7. The main committee, after compiling the reports of all sub-committees, would forward the same to the company for releasing compensation within three days from the date of submitting the report, Mr. Kumar said.

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