The Hindu Business Line : Rasi Seeds plans to launch more GM cotton

RASI Seeds Pvt Ltd is planning launch of a range of genetically-modified (GM) cotton hybrids covering all the cotton-growing States, according to its Managing Director, Mr M. Ramasami.

The company which launched RCH-2 Bt, a GM cotton hybrid resistant to cotton bollworms last year, is enthused by its performance. Farmers' reports are in favour of the product and the next season will be dominated by the GM versions, the company officials claim.

Biotechnology apart, the company is also focussing on conventional hybrids of maize, vegetables and food grains. Addressing reporters on a tour of Rasi Seeds's facilities organised by it, he said it had 8 more GM hybrids in the pipeline. These would be: RCH-20, RCH-134, RCH-138, RCH-144, RCH-118, RCH-359, RCH-368 and RCH-317. These are in advanced stages of trials and awaiting statutory approvals. RCH-20 Bt, dubbed `Srinidhi,' is one of the hybrids expected to be released in the coming season.

RCH-2 Bt is being grown over 4 lakh acres in Gujarat (1.2 lakh acres), Maharashtra (1.5 lakh acres), Andhra Pradesh (85,000 acres), Tamil Nadu (20,000 acres) and Karnataka (10,000 acres). Harvest has commenced and reports indicate effective control of pests.

Farmers have harvested about 15-18 quintals of cotton an acre from the RCH-2 Bt against 10-12 quintals of the non-Bt variety. Pesticide expenses have dropped by 70 per cent because they RCH-2 Bt is resistant to bollworms, claims the company.

According to Mr Ramasami, the market in the next two years will be saturated with GM cottonseeds.

In 2005-06 season, these would cover at least 40 lakh-50 lakh acres and Rasi is targeting at least 50 per cent of this area for its own seed sales.

Rasi hopes to tie up with 4-5 companies in the coming weeks including the State-run seed corporations in Maharashtra and Karnataka, which have in principle agreed to the marketing tie-up.

The Rasi Seeds' Executive Director, Mr R. Rajendran, said the conventional hybrid RCH-2 was at present the dominant seed in cotton growing areas.

Mr Ramasami said the company was also growing as a multi-crop seed supplier. It has distributed over 3,000 tonne of paddy seeds covering about 1.5 lakh acres, and is next introducing a hybrid maize Rasi Tip Top. Trial marketing started in 2004 and in the current year, commercial sales was starting.

For the kharif 2005 season, it is launching hybrid pearl millets in collaboration with Icrisat, Hyderabad. The two hybrids, Rasi 2246 and Rasi 2234, will target markets in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

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