Mahyco Monsanto Biotech Limited (MMBL) has said that its agri biotech technology Bollgard II continues to provide effective control of American Bollworm and Spotted Bollworm.
“While Pink Bollworm shows resistance, the technology continues to provide effective control of the two other bollworms,” an MMBL spokesperson claimed.
Citing internal studies, he said there was resistance to the Cry2Ab protein, a key component of BGII. “It has been proliferated by improper insect resistance management practices, absence of refuge crop (sowing of seeds other than that of BGII) and spread of illegal seeds in some areas,” he said.
The firm argued that resistance was a natural, evolutionary process.
The spokesperson was responding to a report in this newspaper on Tuesday that noted that the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments had urged the Centre to revoke the patent on Bollgard II since the Pink Bollworm had developed resistance to the technology.
No shortage of seedsThe firm asserted that there was no shortage of hybrid Bt cotton seeds for the upcoming kharif season.
“Data available with us indicate that over nine crore packets (of 450 gm each) of cottonseed are available as against the average demand of 4.5 crore packets in the season,” it said, referring to fears expressed by the Agriculture Ministers of the two States on the likely shortage of seeds.
On the issue of termination of licence agreements, the firm said it had licensed the BG technology to over 45 seed companies.
Termination notices
“The bilateral sub-licensing agreements with these companies have existed for more than a decade and a large majority of these continue to honour their contracts,” he said.
He alleged that a few firms refused to pay the mutually agreed trait fee since July 2015 though they had collected it from farmers.
“Collectively, they owe MMB over ₹165 crore. Consequent to Nuziveedu Seeds and its group firms refusing to honour the contracts, we were compelled to terminate the licences in November 2015,” he said.
“With MMB consenting to allow NSL and its group firms to continue to sell the seed in kharif 2016 in accordance with the Delhi High Court’s order, farmers will continue to have additional choice of cottonseed brands,” he said.