Chennai, India
November 29, 2004
By Joseph Vackayil,
Financial Express via
Checkbiotech
The area under genetically
modified cotton, Bt cotton, in the country has grown to 13 lakh
acres in Kharif 2004, from 72,000 acres in 2002, when it was
released for commercial cultivation, and 2.3 lakh acres in 2003.
The planting of Bt cotton is permitted in six states, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra. Trials are being conducted in the northern states.
According to information available
from Monsanto India, during kharif 2004 13 lakh packet of
‘Bollgard’ Bt cotton seeds were sold in the six states. One
packet is for planting in one acre. Of this, 3.2 lakh packets
were sold in Gujarat, 2.07 lakh in Madhya Pradesh, 1.9 lakh in
Andhra Pradesh, 52,500, in Maharashtra, 45,000 in Karnataka and
13,000 in Tamil Nadu (see table).
The area under Bt cotton is expected to go up substantially next
year mainly because of more rains in the southern belt,
introduction of more Bt gene-incorporated popular cotton hybrids
by companies like Mahyco, Rasi and Ankur and the increasing
awareness among farmers about the effectiveness of Bt cotton in
controlling the biggest cotton pest, boll worms, spokesperson of
Monsanto India told FE.
The Bt cotton seeds were originally developed by Monsanto in the
US and marketed under the brand name of ‘Bollgard’.
In India Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) developed
‘Bollgard’ from the imported transgenic cotton seeds. They were
grown in greenhouses. After various trials, the Bt trait was
incorporated into Indian germplasm by traditional breeding
methods.
‘Bollgard’ is marketed by the joint venture company Mahyco
Monsanto Biotech India Ltd. The company has transferred the Bt
technology to Indian seed companies like Rasi, Ankur, Emergent
Genetics, Ajeet, Krishi Dhan, Vikram Seeds, Tulsi Seeds, etc.
These companies incorporate the Bt gene into their popular
cotton seed varieties. Rasi and Mahyco hybrids have already hit
the market. Permission is awaited for commercial release of
Ankur hybrids in 2005 and some more hybrids of Rasi and Mahyco,
sources said.
A survey conducted by AC Nielson ORG-MARG has found that
‘Bollgard’ has significantly reduced pesticide spraying,
increased the cotton yield by protecting the cotton bolls from
bollworms and preventing them from falling away. The ‘Bollgard’
cotton also fetched higher prices thanks to its brightness and
quality.
However, Bt cotton is planted only in a fraction of the total
cotton acreage of 22.5 million acres in the country.
‘Bollgard’ has so far been commercialised in nine countries
including India. The other countries are the US, China,
Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Indonesia and
Colombia. About 18 million acres of ‘Bollgard’ cotton were
planted in these countries in 2003.
© 2004: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd |
