We will not settle the cases: Potato farmers

A day after the US food and beverages giant PepsiCo announced that it would withdraw the cases it filed against Gujarat farmers for growing a potato variety that it has registered, the farmers concerned on Friday said they will not settle the case with the company.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, the four farmers from Vadali taluka in Sabarkantha — Bipin Patel, Haribhai Patel, Chhabil Patel and Vinod Patel — said that they would decide on the case after discussing the matter with their advocates, activists and farmers’ bodies, that have come forward to support them. They have been sued by PepsiCo India in the Ahmedabad commercial court for over Rs 1 crore each for growing and selling the FL 2027 type of potatoes, which are trademarked as FC5 and are used to make Lay’s chips.

On the company’s announcement that it would withdraw the cases and its earlier proposal to ink an agreement to end the suit, Bipin Patel said, “It was all confusion and fear initially, but now looking at the movement in our support on social media, we feel that we do not have to worry much (about the suit). What we have liked the most is that people from different political ideologies have unanimously supported us. Our family members are also keen that we fight out the cases.”

Source:-https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/grocery/we-will-not-settle-the-cases-potato-farmers/69170279