The Centre is considering writing off trait value charged from farmers for Bollgard-II variety of Bt cotton to ensure the seeds are available to farmers at affordable prices, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in Parliament on Tuesday.
Since 2015, the government has been fixing a maximum sale price for Bt cotton every year considering the seed value, recurring royalty (trait value), trade margins and others.
The price of Bollgard-II (BG-II) cotton seed in 2019 was fixed at Rs 730 per packet including Rs 20 as trait value.
Asked if the government is intending to write off trait value charged from farmers for BG-II, the minister said: "Yes Sir, in order to ensure the availability of the Bt cotton seed to farmers at fair, reasonable and affordable prices and curtail the charging of exorbitant price."
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