Defective cauliflower seeds cost firm as state panel upholds payout to farmers

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has dismissed three appeals filed by Nobel Seeds Pvt Ltd and upheld compensation awarded to farmers who suffered heavy losses due to defective cauliflower seeds.A bench comprising Commission president justice Gautam Chourdiya and member Pramod Kumar Varma on April 8 affirmed the orders of the District Consumer Commission, Kabirdham, holding the company liable for "deficiency in service".Farmers, including Parshottam Nirmalkar, Bharat Kashyap, and Tekuram Kashyap from Baharmuda village in Kabirdham district, had purchased "Nobel Happy 101" cauliflower seeds, marketed as suitable for summer cultivation with high-yield output.Nirmalkar cultivated cauliflower on 7.5 acres but suffered large-scale failure at the flowering stage. A four-member team from the assistant director of horticulture, Kabirdham, found that 50–60% of the crop failed to flower. Their report and panchnama attributed the damage to defective seed quality rather than weather conditions, noting the variety was meant for hot conditions.The seed company argued that losses were due to rain, hailstorms, or poor farming practices. It also dismissed the argument regarding absence of laboratory testing.The Commission upheld compensation for crop loss, input costs, mental agony, and litigation expenses. Parshottam Nirmalkar was awarded over Rs 10.24 lakh, including Rs 7.5 lakh for crop loss calculated at Rs 1 lakh per acre, while Bharat Kashyap and Tekuram Kashyap were awarded Rs 1.67 lakh and Rs 1.97 lakh respectively.