Bt cotton cultivation gains ground

The area under cultivation of genetically modified Bt cotton in 2005-06 (October-September) was estimated at 1.3 million hectares, up 160 per cent from 500,000 hectares a year ago, a global non-profit body said on Thursday.

According to an estimate by International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, of the total 9 million hectares under cotton cultivation in India, over 15.6 per cent area has been brought under the cultivation of Bt cotton.

"Already about 20 Bt cotton hybrid varieties are have been released in the market by four companies and over 25 companies are developing new varieties, which are likely to come up for approval in 2006," said ISAAA India head Bhagirath Choudhary.

He said over 1 million small and marginal farmers planted Bt cotton in 2005, a three-fold increase over 2004.

Separately, a senior government official said even the government is likely to release Bt cotton varieties by 2007-08.

Currently, Bt cotton hybrids are sold only by the private sector. The official said the Bt varieties, being developed jointly by Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Dharwad University of Agriculture Sciences, Delhi University and Central Institute for Cotton Research, are on field trials.

"Once they are released, these varieties will be much cheaper than the hybrids being sold by private companies. Besides, the farmers will also be able to regenerate their seeds, which is not possible with the private sector hybrids," the official said.

Currently, Monsanto sells hybrid Bt cotton seeds for Rs 1,800 per 450 gram.