AHMEDABAD: The US food and beverages giant PepsiCo has sued three farmers in Gujarat complaining that they have been illegally growing and selling a variety of potato exclusively registered by the company. PepsiCo claimed it has sole rights to grow them to manufacture chips of its brand – Lay’s.
Looking at the company’s registration of the potato variety in country’s Plant Variety Registry, the commercial court here last week stayed the farmers – Chabilbhai Patel, Vinod Patel, Haribhai Patel – from growing and selling the potatoes till April 26. The court has also sought reply from the three over company’s claims of infringement on its rights.
On company’s request, the commercial court judge Moolchand Tyagi appointed advocate Paras Sukhwani as court commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the dispute and prepare a report.
PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd has informed the court that it uses the registered variety of potatoes called FL 2027, which is a hybrid of FL 1867 and Wischip varieties, for manufacturing chips for its brand. The company is the registered breeder of FL 2027 under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001.
In India, this variety was first put to commercial use in 2009 and is traded under the trademark FC5. It has granted licence to some farmers in Punjab to grow the variety on the buyback system. By growing these potatoes without licence, these farmers in Gujarat are violating its statutory rights.
Please click here to read more.