The Pepsico India Holdings private limited has filed a complaint against the farmers of Gujrath for the infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR). The case has been registered for planting variety potatoes ( used excusively for making Lays Chips) under the Protection of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001.
The case now has been registered against four potato growers from Sabarkantha district for allegedly growing a variety of potato on which PepsiCo claimed exclusive rights by virtue of a Plant Variety Certificate (PVC) under the Act.
Earlier this month, the four farmers — with a land holding of 3-4 acres — were slapped with a lawsuit of ?1 crore each for an “estimated damage” to PepsiCo arising from the alleged infringement of its IPR for the potato variety that it uses for its popular Lay’s chips.
The national Vice- president of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has asserted that the claims put forward by the company is not valid.
He also asserted that this might be their tactics to wipe out competition in the chips market.
PepsiCo had alleged that farmers were illegally growing, producing, selling without permission the said variety in violation of Sections 64 and 65, of the said Act.
Post Your Comments