Spurious Bt cotton seeds flood markets

Monsanto's business hurt; experts fear cotton production may be affected too

The US lifesciences giant Monsanto's monopoly over genetically modified Bt cotton seeds in India is facing a different kind of threat this time.

Already reeling under political oppositions and cheap alternatives from local companies, Monsanto is now being plagued by unabated sale of unlicensed and spurious Bt cotton seeds in the country.

Spurious seeds have flooded the markets of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other cotton growing areas of the country.

So far, the police have seized cotton seeds worth Rs 1.67 crore from Maharashtra alone from various areas in Buldana, Aurangabad, Jalna and Nanded districts.

Last week, the Buldana police confiscated spurious Bt cotton seeds worth Rs 70 lakh and arrested 22 persons including some from Gujarat. The gang had smuggled Bt cottonseeds from Gujarat and was selling them at outlets in Akola, Jalna and Nanded.

However, it is the farmers who have been hurt the most in the entire episode. Already paying through their noses for Monsanto's expensive seeds, now they are threatened by a poor cotton production resulting from these spurious seeds.

Despite being expensive, the demand for Bt cotton seeds has increased this year. Monsanto sells Bt cotton seeds through its sub-licensees in the country.

Monsanto spokesperson Ranjana Smetacek said the licence to produce and sell Bt cotton was given only to Mahyco, Rashi, Nuzibitu, Ankur, Mahabeej and Pro-Agro.

The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and genetic approval committee permit no other company to sell Bt cotton other than these agencies.

Therefore, there is a constant shortage of Bt cotton seeds as Monsanto concessionaires could meet only 60 per cent of the demand for three million packets. The rest of the demand was being met by spurious seed suppliers.

Additional director agriculture, Aurangabad district, Pralhad Pokale said although one per cent sowing could be completed in Marathwada due to delayed monsoons, more than 75 per cent farmers had bought Bt seeds.

Both Vidarbha and Marathwada are major cotton growing areas of Maharashtra with Buldana, Vashim, Vardha, Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal achieving bumper production last year.

Police officials said seed manufacturers in Gujarat have openly admitted to supplying spurious Bt cottonseeds to Maharashtra and other states. Another Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, based company has also been supplying fake Bt seeds under the brand name of Tulsi.

Preetiranjan Rath, Monsanto business manager for Maharashtra, said many farmers purchased cotton seeds from the ginning mills at lower prices and sold them to the farmers at higher prices.

Dr S B Varade, soil scientist and former director of Water and Land Management Institute, Aurangabad, said the original Bt cotton seeds produce 10 to 12 quintals of cotton per acre while the spurious or the second-generation (F2) seed provides only 4 to 5 quintals of cotton.