HTBT cotton seed worth ₹26 lakh seized

Nagpur: The agriculture department's quality control flying squad seized suspected illegal HTBT cotton seeds worth over ₹26 lakh during a raid in Nagpur. Acting on a tip-off, the flying squad, along with police personnel, conducted a raid at a warehouse in the Octroi Free Zone at Wardhaman Nagar. Officials caught workers allegedly unloading 58 sacks of suspected HTBT cotton seeds from a truck.The consignment comprised 2,907 packets of cotton seeds labelled allegedly manufactured by a private firm in Ahmedabad. Each packet weighed 475 grams, with the total stock weighing 13.80 quintals. Officials estimated the value of the seized seed stock at ₹26.19 lakh.The truck used for transporting the seeds was also seized. The consignment and vehicle were confiscated in the presence of panch witnesses and handed over to Lakadganj police for further legal proceedings.A criminal case has been registered against an Ahmedabad firm and Vikrambhai Chaudhary alias Vikram Jat of Amravati under provisions of the Seeds Act, 1966, Seeds Control Order, 1983, Maharashtra Cotton Seeds Act, 2009, Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and Environment Protection Act, 1986.Officials said illegal HTBT seeds are often smuggled into Maharashtra from other states and sold clandestinely through local agents in cotton-growing regions. The agriculture and police departments have intensified joint inspections and border checkpoints to curb illegal transportation and sale of such seeds during the ongoing Kharif season.District superintending agriculture officer Ravindra Manohare said HTBT cotton seeds have not received commercial approval from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee or the Centre. He warned that cultivation of such herbicide-tolerant seeds encourages indiscriminate herbicide use, threatens biodiversity, impacts soil fertility, and poses risks to environmental and human health.The operation was carried out by quality control inspectors Markand Khandait, Reena Dongre and Subhash Kanire along with officials from the agriculture department and Lakadganj police.