The Hindu Business Line : `Surfeit of cottonseed varieties baffling growers'

WHILE attempts are on to reduce the multiplicity of varieties in cotton, as many as 520 new cotton hybrids have crept into the market place in the last one-year.

An industry source told Business Line that 73 seed producing companies in the private sector had managed to release many new hybrids into the system within a short span. "Multiplicity of varieties is the bane of our system," he said and added that the total quantity of seeds produced by these companies stood at 117.8 lakh kgs.

The offtake has been estimated at 85 per cent of the production at 100.13 lakh kgs. Andhra Pradesh alone houses 40 seed-producing companies.

Since production of cottonseed is a cash-rich proposition, every seed producing company in the private sector is engaged in cottonseed production. Production of vegetable seeds takes a back seat.

The source further said the private seed producers were well protected that they conveniently took the "truthfully labelled seeds" route to sell the produce. "The incredible number of new hybrids available in the market has put the grower in a miserable situation," he said.

The other mess up is taking stock of the significant damage to the Bt cotton crop in the Central Cotton Zone. "The para wilt and acute leaf diseases spotted in the Bt cotton has reduced the plant growth and fibre quality," he said.

The country has managed to surpass the Tenth Five-Year Plan production target of 204 lakh bales well in advance. But the plight of the growers' continues, the source alleged.