Maharashtra reports Bt.cotton failure in 4 Million Hector – Thousands Cotton Farmers to Council Hall Nagpur on 11th December for compensation

Maharashtra reports Bt.cotton failure in 4 Million Hector – Thousands Cotton Farmers to Council Hall Nagpur   on 11^th December for compensation

Nagpur -24^th November 2012

First time Maharashtra officially admitted that this year cotton yield like to lower down by 40% form 3.5 million quintal to 2.2 million quintal due to Bt.cotton failure in more than 4 million hectors net direct economic loss of Maharashtra cotton farmers to tune of Rs.6000 crore where as accumulated losses   likely to cross more than Rs.20,000 crore due to steep rise in cultivation cost v.i.z. Bt.cotton seed ,fertilizer, pesticide  and labor hence Bt.cotton failure which was reported in part of vidarbha and Marathawada now more reports of cotton crop failure is surfaced from khandesh and north Maharashtra   and this crop failure will add fuel to on going agrarian crisis and Maharashtra farmers suicides number is likely to cross over 5000 this year in comparison to   around 3500 last year which was highest in among all states of India  as per record  of NCRB ,Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti ,activist group working for rights of farmers since 1997 informed in press release today .

“This third year in row Bt.cotton failure is being reported last year Govt. of Maharashtra paid Rs.2000 crore to 4 million cotton farmers as relief compensation and this year too same situation which is forcing cotton farmers kill themselves .last year Bt.cotton failure was restricted to dry land farmers of Maharashtra but this year even progressive farmers who are having irrigation facility has severely effected   with low yield of the Bt.cotton  where as cost of cultivation in Maharashtra averaging out to be  @ Rs.50,000/-  per hector in comparison to Rs.30,000/- per hector of last year .Maharashtra is having Bt.cotton cultivation as per official record in 4.2 million which largest in all states but has been reported lowest cotton yield of around 5 quintal per hector since 2006  now new   official estimates likely to report 3 quintal per hector  which is returning around Rs.12000 per hector resulting in more than Rs.38,000 per hector net loss to debt trapped distressed farmers hence serious consideration and white paper on Maharashtra cotton farmer is must hence we are marching on 11^th December to council hall in which thousands of farmers will participate along with hundreds of widows ”  Tiwari added.

‘More than 5 million cotton farmers of Maharashtra demands Rs.20,000/- pr hector compensation for Bt.cotton failure ,fresh crop loan to every farmer for next khariff season and food security and free health and education to distressed debt trapped farmers along with work in each farmer field under MGREGA related land development, soil  enrichment   and watershed development hence this protest and we hope that state will come out relief package directly targeting dying farmers not benefiting contractors and corrupt politicians ’ Tiwari urged .