st July 20092
Secretary of the village. They inspected the crop and gave their opinion. The
petitioner at last got issued a notice to the respondents and they sent a reply. One
D. Ramamohan Reddy, purchased the seed on behalf of the petitioner from R1. The
seed purchased by the petitioner was 6 Kgs on 8-11-2006 under bill No. nil from R1
out of 68 Kgs. Therefore, the complaint was filed for Rs. 45,000/- per Ac.1.74 cents
and Rs. 5,000/- towards cultivation charges totaling Rs. 50,000/- and Rs. 5,000/-
towards deficiency of service and Rs. 10,000/- towards costs.
3. The respondents filed a counter that the petitioner purchased seed from
R1 and selling to the farmers. The petitioner admitted that he was selling Black
Gram seed to the farmers doing business. So the petitioner was not a consumer as
the petitioner had not purchased the seed from R1. One D. Ramamohan Reddy, had
purchased 68 on 8-11-2006 under bill No. 413 from R1. The minimum seed
required per one acre was 8 Kgs. It was mentioned in Agricultural Panchangam
2005-06 at page 57 to 59 published by Acharya N.G. Ranga Agriculture University,
Hyderabad.
4. The complainant cultivated Ac. 2.57 cents to which he required 16 Kgs
Black Gram seed. The complainant in C.C. No. 27/2009 purchased 68 Kgs of seed for
his land. He had no scope to give seed to the complainant. He had no basic
knowledge of cultivation of Black Gram. One could not expect a minimum yield when
the required quantity of seed was not used for sowing. So Rs. 10,000/- per acre
towards cultivation was not correct. The required expenditure for cultivation per acre
was Rs. 1,660/-. The crop was not a main crop but an intermediary crop. The
period of crop was 85 days. The flowering would start from 35 to 45 days. The yield
would be 2 to 5 quintals depending upon various factors. Normally the average rate
per quintal would be Rs. 2,500/- and it would vary from Rs. 2,000/- to Rs. 3,000/-.
It was not correct that the R1 gave a wrong direction that the crop would be good in
the month of November. It was not correct that the seed supplied by R2 to R1 was
defective and substandard. The respondents came to know that the complainant got
C.C. No. 41 of 20093
good yield and sold in the market at Proddatur. The respondents had no knowledge
about representation to the Asst. Director of Agriculture and Panchayat Secretary
and they inspected the land and crop growth and issuing of the opinion. The
respondents were never intimated by Agriculture Department. During the crop
season the complainant did not make any allegations against the respondents and
the crop growth was good. There were no allegations about variety of the crop. The
germination and genetic purity were good. Regarding the defect in germination and
genetic purity it had to be intimated within 7 days i.e. period required for germination
and within 35 to 45 days i.e the period required for flowering. As the yield was good,
there was no complaint. The respondents received a notice after 4 months. The reply
notice was issued by the respondents immediately. There was no complaint from
others, who purchased the same seed. The Mandal Agricultural Officer gave a list of
farmers. The Mandal Agricultural Officer had not alleged any defect of the seed. He
visited after completion of crop season. The certificate of the Panchayat Secretary
need not be considered. The yielding of crop was on the basis of water, pest control,
virus, sudden climatic changes and manures. The complainant did not file the seed
analysis report. The certificates issued by the Agricultural officer and V.A.O, were
without any evidence of quality of seed. The seed purchased by the complainant was
not sufficient. He got seed from one D. Ramamohan Reddy in C.C No. 27/2009. The
respondents did not supply seed to the complainant. There was no complaint from
other farmers. There was no deficiency or negligence on the part of the respondents.
Thus the complaint may be dismissed with costs.
5. On the basis of the above pleadings the following points are settled for
determination.
i. Whether there is any negligence and deficiency of service on the
part of the respondents?
ii. Whether the complainant is entitled to the relief as prayed for?
iii. To what relief?
6. On behalf of the complainant Ex. A1 to A5 were marked and on behalf of
the respondents Ex. B1 to B4 were marked.
C.C. No. 41 of 20094
7. Point No. 1 & 2 Ex. A1 was Xerox copy of receipt issued in the name of
D. Ramamohan Reddy, but not in the name of the complainant. Hence, the
complainant was not a consumer. The complainant had not filed any bill or receipt
for purchasing of the seed from R1. In the complaint at para – 5, it was mentioned
that one D. Ramamohan Reddy, purchased the seed on his behalf When the lands of
the complainant and D. Ramamohan Reddy were with separate cultivation, the bills
should be separate. He claimed compensation on the basis of bill of D. Ramamohan
Reddy, for which he was not entitled to any relief. The R2 was producer of Black
Gram seed. The duration of the crop was 85 days. After sowing the seed in
November 2006 it was grown well in the land but it had no flowers and pods. The
petitioner spent Rs. 10,000/- per acre towards fertilizers, pesticides, land preparation
and weeding. The petitioner contended that he purchased seed under wrong advice
given by R1 that the crop in the month of November would grow with good yield.
Even, after taking all precautions there was no yield. The reasons were the seed was
defective and substandard. If the seed was not defective and good seed the yield
would be 10 to 15 quintals per acre. In the complaint at para – 6 it was disclosed
that the Asst. Director of Agriculture, Muddanoor and Panchayat Secretary inspected
the crop and gave their opinion. But either the opinion or the report of the Asst.
Director of Agriculture was not filed. The complainant filed Ex. A2 a copy of list of
farmers grown Black Gram LBG 645 variety in Yamavaram village of Muddanoor
Mandal issued by Mandal Agriculture Officer, Muddanoor in which the total extent
with survey Nos. and purchase of seed with bill No. and date from R2 by the
complainant was mentioned. Ex. A3 was statement of Panchayat Secretary,
Yamavaram that the farmers shown in the list had raised Black Gram crop in their
lands. But there was no yield. In the statement Ex. A3, it was disclosed the names
of farmers and survey Nos. extent and quantity of seed purchased with bills Nos. and
dates. Ex. A3 was counter signed by Tashildar, Muddanoor as the Black Gram crop
did not give good yield. The complainant got issued a notice along with other farmers
C.C. No. 41 of 20095
to both the respondents to pay compensation. The office copy of the notice was Ex.
A4. Ex. A4 included the reply notice from both the respondents. Ex. A5 was Xerox
copy of pattadar passbook and adangal extract. When the complainant had not
purchased the seed and did not produce the bill, it is not known how the Mandal
Agriculture Officer, Muddanoor and Tahsildar, Muddanoor certified the Ex. A2 and
Ex. A3 that the complainant purchased vide bill No. nil, dt. 8-11-2006 which was in
the name of D. Ramamohan Reddy, who filed the complaint in C.C. No. 27/2009.
8. The respondents filed Ex. B1 and B2 the reply notice issued to the
complainant. The same were filed by the complainant along with office copy of the
notice as Ex. A4. The respondents filed Ex. B3 statement of some other farmers
with their pattadar passbooks in Xerox copies that the Black Gram seed LBG 645
variety gave good yield and hence, it was not a substandard seed. They filed Ex. B4 a
Xerox copy of literature of Black Gram seed and various varieties of seed including
LBG 645. Under Ex. B4 the duration of the crop was 85 to 90 days and the yield per
acre would be around 8 to 10 quintals. In Ex. B4 the method of cultivation including
application of pesticides and fertilizers and quality of both of them and quantity of
seed required per acre in dry land during the month of October has been mentioned.
During Rabi season, the time for sowing was October for dry land and for wet land it
was November and the quantity of seed per acre in the dry land was 6.4 Kgs to 7.2
Kgs and in the wet land it was 16 Kgs. The land of the complainant was dry land
and so the crop should be raised in October and not during November and the
required seed was 6.4 Kgs to 7.2Kgs per acre. But in the present case the Black
Gram LBG 645 variety was sown in November 2006 instead of October 2006 and for
the entire extent of land of the complainant, he had to sow 10 Kgs to 12 Kgs but he
sowed only 6 Kgs out of 68 Kgs as shown in para – 7 of the complaint. So the
complainant raised the crop in his entire land with less quantity of seed 6 Kgs only
and hence, he did not get the required quantity of yield of 8 to 10 quintals per acre as
mentioned in Ex. B4 literature. In addition to it was not mentioned anywhere in the
C.C. No. 41 of 20096
complaint about the quantity received by the complainant in previous years. He did
not file any scrap of paper regarding purchase of fertilizers, pesticides. In its absence
it is clear that the complainant did not apply any quantity of fertilizers or pesticides
to the crop as shown in Ex. B4. There was no calculation arrived for Rs. 50,000/-
towards compensation. As soon as the complainant had an idea that there were no
pods to the plant, he would have taken the report of the Asst. Director of Agriculture
about the stage of the crop and defects in the crop. He did not file the report of Asst.
Director of Agriculture. The respondents also did not file the analysis report
regarding the germination of the seed. There was no proper report from any
laboratory or an expert in agriculture. It could not be said that the seed in question
was defective as reported in 2009 CTJ 740 (CP) (NCDRC) Gyan Chandra Sharada Vs.
Prabhari Sachiv Kshetriya Sadhan Sahkari Samiti and others. When the
complainant mentioned in para – 6 of the complaint that the Asst. Director of
Agriculture and Panchayat Secretary inspected the crop, it was his duty to file their
report regarding the stage of crop and defects in not getting yield. The complainant
did not file at least the empty packet of the seed to show when the seed was packed
and when the date would be expired and its lot Nos. The loss of crop was on various
factors like excess water, rains, climatic conditions and not using fertilizers and
pesticides as mentioned in the concerned literature and whether there was any
disease to the crop. In its absence they could not say that the Black Gram seed was
defective and substandard. The seed was defective was not proved by the
complainant through the Department of Agriculture. So the complainant was not a
consumer. Hence, the points are answered accordingly.
9. Point No. 3 In the result, the complaint is dismissed without costs.
Dictated to the Stenographer, transcribed by him, corrected and pronounced
by us in the open forum, this the 01
MEMBER MEMBER PRESIDENT
C.C. No. 41 of 2009st July 20097
APPENDIX OF EVIDENCE
Witnesses examined.
For Complainant NIL For Respondent : NIL
Exhibits marked for Complainant : -
Ex. A1 X/c of cash / Credit bill issued by R1, dt. 8-11-2006.
Ex. A2 Copy of list issued by Mandal Agriculture Officer, Muddanoor, dt. 2-2-07.
Ex. A3 Copy of list issued by Tahsildar, Muddanoor Mandal, dt 21-4-2007.
Ex. A4 Office copy of legal notice from complainant’s advocate to respondents,
dt. 28-2-2007.
Ex. A5 X/c of pattadar passbook and adangal extract of the complainant.
Exhibits marked for Respondents: -
Ex. B1 X/c of reply notice from R2’s advocate to complainant’s advocate,
dt. 9-3-2007.
Ex. B2 X/c of reply notice from R1’s advocate to complainant’s advocate,
dt. 23-3-2007.
Ex. B3 X/c of statement of some ryots with X/c of pattadar passbooks,
dt. 19-3-2007 and 20-3-2007.
Ex. B4 X/c of literature i.e. cultivation of Black Gram seeds.
MEMBER MEMBER PRESIDENT
Copy to :-
1) Sri P. Sekhar Reddy, Advocate.
3) Sri K. Guru Murthy, Advocate.
1) Copy was made ready on :
2) Copy was dispatched on :
3) Copy of delivered to parties :
B.V.P. - - -
C.C. No. 41 of 2009
CONSUMER COMPLAINT No. 41 / 2009
D. Girinatha Reddy, S/o Pulla Reddy, aged about 28 years,
Muddanur Mandal, Kadapa District. ….. Complainant.
Vs.
9/532, Mydukur Road, Proddatur town.
2) M/s Sri Lakshmi Seeds Corporation, D.No. 54-B-35,
Plot No. 30, J.Auto Nagar, Vijayawada. ….. Respondents.
presence of Sri P. Sekhar Reddy, Advocate for complainant and Sri K. Guru Murthy,
(Per Sri P.V. Nageswara Rao, President),
1. Complaint filed under section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act 1986.
2. The brief facts of the complaint is as follows:- The petitioner sowed Black
gram seed in November 2006 purchased from R1 produced by R2. The duration of
the crop was 85 days and the growth of crop was good. But it had no flowers and
pods. The petitioner followed all precautions and spent Rs. 10,000/- per acre
towards cultivation expenses, fertilizers, pesticides and weeding and seed cost for his
lands of Ac. 1.74 cents in survey No. 6/2A & 5/1A. The R1 gave a wrong direction to
the petitioner that the variety of seed would grow in November. Thus the petitioner
purchased the seed and crop was grown in November. The seed was defective and
substandard for germination. If the seed was perfect and the respondents gave
proper directions the petitioner would get 10 to 15 quintals yield per acre. Due to
supply of substandard seed the petitioner had a loss of Rs. 45,000/- per acre. The
petitioner represented to the Asst. Director of Agriculture, Muddanoor and Panchayat