The government has hardened its stance on cotton seed price control, insisting that it will continue to regulate prices of cotton seed and will not allow companies like American agro-chemical major Monsanto to exploit farmers.

Addressing a two-day kharif conference in New Delhi, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh asserted that the government would not allow “monopoly by seed and pharmaceutical companies” and would regulate prices of seeds and medicines, if required.

Monsanto has been locked in a legal battle with the government since it issued an order to control cotton seed prices including trait or royalty value, effective from 2016-17 crop year (July-June). Mayhco Monsanto Biotech Ltd (MMBL), a joint venture firm of Monsanto, had challenged the government’s seed control order in the Delhi High Court in December 2016.

Last month, the government for the first time fixed a uniform price of Rs 800 per packet for Bt cotton seed including a small royalty of Rs 49 – a move that will benefit farmers, but hit the Indian business of Monsanto.

“It (Monsanto) is a good company. We respect them, but that does not mean you loot farmers and charge whatever price, because you have knowledge. Be it seed or pharma, we will continue to regulate prices, whenever required,” Singh said.