The Agriculture department has banned sale of Bt cotton seeds by Maharashtra Hybrid Company (Mahyco), in the State. 

Due to the substandard quality of seeds supplied by Mahyco, the kharif crops had failed in Haveri, Chitradurga, Dharwad, Belgaum, and Bellary in 2013, triggering protests by the farmers in these districts.

Till further orders, the company has been banned from selling the seeds, said a press release from the director of the Agriculture department.

Ganesh Naik, the joint director of agriculture, Haveri district Farmers have said that they have been instructed not to purchase the hybrid seeds from the company.