The state government is working towards out-of-court settlement of cases filed by PepsiCo against nine farmers for growing a variety of potato patented by it, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said on Wednesday.
Nine farmers from Sabarkantha and Aravalli districts have been sued by PepsiCo in courts for allegedly growing a variety of potatoes for which the company has claimed plant variety protection (PVP) rights and sought damages of as much as Rs1 crore from each of them. The MNC has claimed the variety in question has been "registered" by it.
"The government is trying to ensure that the issue is resolved outside court properly and as per the law, in a manner that is helpful to farmers. The agriculture secretary and chief secretary have been informed regarding the same," Patel told reporters.