BJP, Congress spar over cotton prices, Bt cotton in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Congress and BJP members today clashed in Rajya Sabha over the issue of Bt cotton as the opposition members insisted on knowing what price farmers were getting for their crop.

The heated exchanges led to adjournment of the House for 20 minutes during Question Hour.

Shivanand Tiwari (JD-U) wanted to know the price farmers were getting for their cotton crop. To this, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Charan Das Mahant sought to know whether it would be proper for him to reply as a writ petition was pending in Supreme Court on Bt cotton. Some members, however, said the question has nothing to do with the court case.

The Minister replied that the Minimum Support Price of cotton per quintal was Rs 1,770 in 2006-07 and Rs 3,600 in 2012-13.

But Tiwari was not satisfied and asked the Minister to tell the House about the actual price farmers got. BJP member from Gujarat Parshottam Rupala (BJP) supported Tiwari. In the meanwhile, Congress members Ramchandra Khuntia and Jesudasu Seelam said something provoking Rupala, leading to heated exchanges. At one point, opposition members were seen pacifying Rupala.

As the frayed tempers continued, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House at around 11.40 am till noon.

Earlier, Mahant informed that yield of cotton in the country has increased from 467 kg per hectare in 2007-08 to 488 kg per hectare in 2012-13.

The cost of production, he said, has increased from Rs 2,110.53 per quintal in 2007-08 to Rs 2,772.16 per quintal in 2012-13. More than 90 per cent of total cotton area in the country is now under Bt cotton.