A new kind of disease struck the BT cotton crops in four villages of Maharashtra, namely Borgaon, Irai, Sonurli, and Wirur and destroyed the crop planted on more than 600 acres of farms which belongs to 150 farmers from those villages. The stems turned pinkish red, leaves dried, leading the crop to a slow death. This mysterious disease could not be diagnosed by the agriculture department officials, and there were no pests or any other visible sign of infections on cotton. While 80 farmers from Borgaon suffered 100 per cent destruction on the cotton they sowed on 200 acres, farmers from other villages suffered 50 per cent losses.
The state government is expected to provide seeds for rabi crop to the farmers, to help them survive the loss, and also pay compensations of Rs. 6800 per acre, as the rules suggest.
