The Hindu Business Line : ‘28% of area under cotton in Gujarat using illegal seeds’

Ahmedabad, April 25 Gujarat, which is set to harvest a record 90-100 lakh bales of cotton this season, could have increased its yield even further but for use of illegal cotton seeds on a vast tract under the cash crop.

Gujarat has 57 lakh acres (nearly 25 lakh hectares) under cotton. In 2007, farmers cultivated genuine Bollgard Bt cotton seeds on 23.3 lakh acres, illegal cotton seeds on 15.8 lakh acres, and conventional (desi) seeds on 16.2 lakh acres.

That is, 28 per cent of the area under cotton had been cultivated using illegal cotton seeds which remains “one of the top deterrents to increasing cotton production,” according to Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India) Ltd, or MMB, a 50:50 joint venture between Mahyco and Monsanto Company, US.

It was no different in other States. In Punjab, out of 15.47 lakh acres under cotton, genuine Bollgard seeds were used in 7.25 lakh acres, illegal seeds in 4.24 lakh acres and conventional seeds in 2.81 lakh acres. In Haryana, out of 5.30 lakh acres under cotton, genuine seeds were used in only 0.05 lakh acres, illegal seeds in 2.44 lakh acres and conventional varities in 2.80 lakh acres, Mr Christopher Samuel, Senior Manager, Public Affairs, told Business Line.

In Tamil Nadu, no use of illegal seeds came to light.

Citing the difference between yields, he said while the Bollgard I and II seeds’ average yields were 10 and 12 quintals an acre, respectively, the illegal seeds yielded only between two and three quintals an acre. Besides, farmers using illegal seeds found their production costs went up due to increased use of pesticides.

More Stories on : Cotton | Seeds | Gujarat

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