PepsiCo row: Farmers' body seeks legal rights for seeds of any crop variety

Amid the ongoing tussle between Gujarat’s potato growers and PepsiCo India Holdings (PIH), a farmers’ body on Tuesday sought government intervention in establishing legal rights for farmers over seeds of any crop variety.
 
The Gujarat state unit of RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) on Tuesday demanded that the government legally establish the unequivocal right of farmers over seeds, irrespective of the crop being from anywhere in the country.
 
In addition, a dedicated coordination committee under the Kisan Adhikar Manch is being set up to assert rights of farmers over seeds and crops. The committee will comprise farmer organisations, agri-scientists, seeds associations, civil society representatives, lawyers and activists as members, said Maganbhai Patel, national executive member of BKS.