With farmers' strike on mind, Centre directs seed firms to lower MRP by 10%

Under pressure due to ongoing farmers' agitation across the country demanding better price for their produce, the Centre on Thursday entered into an understanding with seed companies to sell hybrid seeds at a rate which is 10 per cent below the printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) from June 19 onwards.

Hybrid seeds are majorly used in vegetables, grains and paddy.

However, the price cut won't include cotton, rates of which are already regulated.

The retail price of hybrid seeds range from Rs 300-500 per kilogram. The decision was welcomed with guarded optimism by some farmer groups.

"This is just tokenism