PepsiCo withdraws case against two potato farmers in Gujarat

The farmers were sued for growing a variety for which the company had claimed rights

The company uses this variety of potatoes to manufacture chips under the brand name Lay's | Reuters The company uses this variety of potatoes to manufacture chips under the brand name Lay's | Reuters

Multinational giant PepsiCo on Monday withdrew cases filed against two potato growing farmers of Deesa in North Gujarat.

The Indian arm of the company, PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, had filed cases against the farmers for allegedly growing a potato variety for which it had claimed plant variety protection rights.

The farmers against whom the cases have been withdrawn are Ful Chandbhai Kachchh and Suresh Kachchhahia.

Lawyer of the farmers, Kailash Gelot, told THE WEEK that the company had sought Rs 20 lakh from each of the farmers and if evidence is found the amount could go up to Rs 1 crore each.

In the court of senior civil judge at Deesa, the company said that it would like to withdraw the captioned matter relying on its discussion with the government to find a long term and amicable solution to issues around its seed protection.

The company had filed the cases in April.

Gelot said that there are cases against farmers from other districts, which would also be withdrawn.

Farm rights organisations, civil society organisations and eminent citizens had flayed the company's move of suing the farmers. They had also demanded intervention of the central and state governments.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel, too, had come in support of the farmers.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel had asked the court to make the government a party for the interests of the farmers.

The rights activists had alleged that the company had done sting operation to make a ground that the farmers were using the said variety of potatoes.

The company uses this variety of potatoes to manufacture chips under the brand name Lay's.

TAGS