Higher yields, saving on pesticide and higher incomes have led to more farmers in Karnataka opting for the Bollgard Bt cotton on a large scale. This Kharif season (2008), Bollgard II and Bollgard Bt cotton have been cultivated on 480,000 acres, about 53.5 per cent of the state’s total cotton coverage.
According to Raj Ketkar, deputy managing director, Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMB), “Bollgard II was cultivated for the first time on 140,000 acres, while Bollgard continued to be widely adopted on 38 per cent of cotton acreage of 340,000 acres.”
In the country about four million farmers cultivated Bollgard II and Bollgard Bt cotton on 17.2 million acres, 76 per cent of the country’s total cotton coverage in Kharif 2008. Bollgard II acreage increased to 4.5 million acres as against 1.22 million acres in 2007 and Bollgard continued to be adopted on 12.7 million acres.
Bollgard II acreage increased to 4.5 million acres as against 1.22 million acres in 2007 and Bollgard continued to be widely-adopted on 12.7 million acres. The acreages have steadily increased from 8.7 million acres in 2006, to 14.4 million acres in 2007.
“The rapid adoption of Bollgard II and Bollgard Bt cotton shows the acceptance of the technology. Within six years of the launch of Bollgard Bt Cotton in 2002, India’s cotton production has doubled, making it the second largest producer, and second largest exporter of cotton in the world,” said Ketkar in a statement.
Bollgard II and Bollgard insect-protected cotton are planted for controlling bollworms. In India, the growth for Bollgard II was witnessed in Maharashtra with 2.16 million acres (630,000 acres in 2007); Andhra Pradesh with 840,000 acres (101,000 acres in 2007); and Gujarat with 530,000 acres (310,000 acres in 2007).
