What happened
Maharashtra agriculture officials filed 85 cases against private seed companies over poor soybean germination this kharif season, while state-owned Mahabeej faced nearly 1,000 complaints without similar legal action. Mahabeej supplied nearly 2 lakh quintals of soybean seed and is being allowed to verify complaints on the ground, while private firms say cases were registered before they could inspect the fields. Officials say the complaints need scientific scrutiny; farmers say the ideal sowing window has already passed, which makes replacement seeds feel less like relief and more like a calendar joke with tractor bills attached.