Fifteen seed companies have been banned from trading in any kind of seeds in Maharashtra on a permanent basis. This is a fallout of the investigation into last year’s large-scale soy seed germination failure in the state. The order, issued on May 1, 2012, says that seven more companies are likely to face a similar ban. State agriculture commissioner Umakant Dangat informed Down To Earth that the ban has been imposed because the said companies failed to pay compensation to farmers despite orders from his department.