Bt cotton acreage up 130% in K'taka

Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMB) India Ltd has announced that Bollgard cotton acreage has risen 130 per cent from 2006, in Karnataka, to 2.92 lakh acres in 2007.

According to a release, bollgard insect-resistant cotton is used widely around the world as an environment-friendly way of controlling bollworms. Bollgard is giving farmers better yields, reducing the number of pesticide sprays, and thus, the cost of insect control to the farmer.

The past three years (2005-2007) have witnessed a phenomenal increase in Bollgard acreages across the nine cotton-growing states. Cotton farmers planted Bollgard and Bollgard-II hybrids across 3.1 million acres in 2005.

The acreage went up to 8.7 million acres in 2006, and to 14.4 million acres in 2007. This increase in acreage and number of farmers adopting Bollgard is testament to the growing success and acceptance of the technology in India, the release said.

Cotton provides livelihood to over 60 million people in India and contributes substantially to the Indian agriculture output. India is the second largest producer of cotton in the world with about 22.5 million acres covered by it. However, in terms of production it is the third largest due to the low yield per acre.

A major limiting factor for cotton production in India is the damage caused by insects, especially bollworms. Of the over $600 million worth of insecticides used by agriculturists in India, more than half are used to control cotton pests and, of this, about $261 million are used to control bollworm alone. Bollgard insect-protected cotton meets this farmers' need, the release said.

With the adoption of MMB's Bollgard technology, farmers engaged in cotton cultivation in South India including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu earned Rs 825 crore as additional income in 2006.

In all, farmers in all the nine Bt cotton-growing states earned Rs 7,039 crore as additional income in 2006 based on 8.77 million acreage penetration achieved during this crop season, according to the third nationwide survey on the 'Economic Benefits of Bt Cotton Cultivation in India' by IMRB International.

Better yields, reduction in pesticide sprays against bollworms and higher profits are identified as the biggest benefits from the introduction of Bollgard (Bt cotton) in India, the company claimed.

Mahyco Monsanto Biotech spokesperson said, "The acreage and increase in number of farmers adopting Bollgard and Bollgard-II is testament to the farmer's continued faith in the Bollgard technology and their willingness to embrace new and innovative technology. We will continue our efforts to support farmer's needs, and are working to increase value for all stakeholders."