'Civil disobedience': Group says it planted unapproved GM cotton seeds

A farm group said its members had planted a variety of genetically modified cotton seeds which have not been approved by the government, an offence that could result in five years imprisonment.

It is the first time farmers, who argue that they shouldn't be deprived of any new technology, have acknowledged planting the herbicide-tolerant cotton variety, which was developed by German drugmaker Bayer AG's Monsanto unit.

Industry officials estimate the area planted with such seeds reached at least 10 percent of the 12.2 million hectares of Indian cotton acreage in 2018 and Anil Ghanwat, president of the Shetkari Sangathana farmers union, said