1.INDIA: Bt cotton farmers to get compensation
2.INDIA: Govt. asks Monsanto subsidiary to compensate cotton farmers

EXTRACT: The Tamil Nadu agriculture minister, Veera Pandi Arumugam informed that government has advised the company [Monsanto-Mahyco] to pay compensation to the affected farmers and has also ordered that Mahyco should not sell any type of seeds in Tamil Nadu. (item 2)
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1.Cotton farmers to get compensation
New India Press, January 22 2007
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20070121130544&Page=T&Title=Southern+News+-+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0

DHARMAPURI: The district administration has initiated steps to provide compensation to the cotton farmers, who suffered crop loss, following the use of transgenic seeds.

The affected cotton farmers from Morappur, Harur and Pappireddipatti Union submitted a memorandum to the district administration to take action in this regard.

A district-level committee was constituted by the Collector, who ordered to analyse the reason for the loss.

The concerned private organisation [Monsanto-Mahyco], which supplied the seeds to the farmers, conducted a survey and assessed the reason for the crop failure. Also, a team of experts from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University conducted a research on it.

At a farmers' meeting here, Collector Pankaj Kumar Bansal said a report had been sent to the State Government seeking compensation for the farmers, who suffered crop loss.

The government had already banned the private seed dealer from selling the cotton and other transgenic seeds in the district. The farmers were also advised to procure all the inputs, including seeds, from the government-authorised agencies in future.

He also appealed to the farmers to inform the Agricultural Extension department, if any seed agency was found canvassing for its products.
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2.INDIA: Govt. asks Mahyco to compensate cotton farmers
January 8 2007, Source: Agencies
http://www.bharattextile.com/newsitems/2002636

CHIDAMBARAM: The fully owned subsidiary of US biotech major Monsanto, Mahyco has been asked by the government to compensate cotton farmers for failure of Bt cotton in the current season, industry sources said here on January 07.

The Bt cotton crop has failed in the major producing district of state, Dharampuri and farmers in the region has complained to the district collector and subsequently the agriculture officials.

The officials following the complaints have asked the scientists at Coimbatore Agriculture University to verify the fact. The scientists conducted tests on the soil where the crops were planted and took samples of the seeds sown.

After the completion of test, scientists informed that improper seeds only had caused all the problems.

The Tamil Nadu agriculture minister, Veera Pandi Arumugam informed that government has advised the company to pay compensation to the affected farmers and has also ordered that Mahyco should not sell any type of seeds in Tamil nadu.

The cell has been formed to safeguard the interests of farmers under the leadership of the chief minister, where experts from various sections of agriculture ministry will be in the cell, minister added.

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