ADILABAD: Fake cotton seeds have penetrated the interior villages of Telangana state from Nandyal (Andhra Pradesh) and Gujarat.

The police has seized 33 quintals of fake cotton seeds in 147 gunny bags with Rs 70 lakh and arrested 13 members of the inter-state fake seeds gang in the Mancherial area. The police has identified some of the gang members as residents of Mandamarri and Bellampalli who had moved there from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

The police has identified that these gangs were formed with the intent of making a profit by selling fake cotton seeds to gullible farmers. These gangs were also selling the banned weeding pesticide Glyphosate.

These persons were bringing fake seeds from Guntur, Kurnool and Nandyal in AP and from Gujarat and selling them in Mancherial district. The police claims that the use of fake seeds and glyphosate are affecting soil fertility and yield.

The Ramagundam police, along with agriculture department officials, seized fake seeds which were stocked at various places under the police station limits of Mancherial, Ramakri-shnapur, Mandamarri, and Kannepalli.

The Ramagundam police claimed that they have prepared a list of fake cotton seeds and weeding pesticide sellers and said that action under the Preventive Detention Act would be initiated against them. The police have identified nearly 20 such persons who were indulging in the illegal sale of fake seeds and Glyphosate.

Ramagundam police commissioner V. Satyanarayana said that many farmers had suffered major losses due to the low yield of cotton owing to the reduction in soil fertility caused by the use of fake cotton seeds and glyphosate.