Government Reports in the Lok Sabha Show That Bt Cotton Increases Yield by 3–4 Quintals per Acre.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has partnered with private companies to develop crop varieties, transfer technologies, and build capacity. A recent study by ICAR's Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur found that Bt cotton can increase yield by 3-4 quintals per acre.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Ramnath Thakur, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, reported that ICAR-CICR observed a significant yield increase with the adoption of Bt cotton. The study also highlighted increased income for farmers due to higher yields and reduced insecticide costs against the cotton bollworm.
ICAR-CICR conducted the study to evaluate the impact of Bt cotton in Maharashtra during 2012-13 and 2013-14 and also assessed its effects on soil ecology. The findings showed a drastic reduction in bollworm infestations and a decrease in the number of insecticide applications from eight to four. The study found no adverse effects of Bt cotton cultivation on soil ecological parameters.
According to the Minister, the current net return from Bt cotton is estimated at ₹25,000 per hectare in rainfed conditions with appropriate agronomy. With the rapid adoption of Bt cotton, over 96% of the cotton cultivation area is now under Bt cotton.
One Scientist, One Product’ Initiative
Responding to a query on ICAR's initiatives, Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, mentioned the 'One Scientist, One Product' approach to enhance research productivity in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and allied sectors. Agricultural scientists are involved in various research projects, producing technologies, models, concepts, methodologies, and publications.
As part of the Centre’s 100-day action plan, ICAR aims to develop 100 new seed varieties and 100 farm technologies. Over the past decade, ICAR has developed 150 bio-fortified varieties, including 132 field crops and 18 horticultural crops.
ICAR Partnerships
Choudhary also stated that ICAR has signed agreements with private companies to scale up crop varieties, transfer technologies, and build capacity. These memoranda of understanding (MoUs) focus on technology dissemination without involving intellectual property rights issues or financial costs for ICAR. About 176 MoUs with farmer organizations aim to enhance capacity building and technology dissemination.
APMC and MSP
Regarding Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) regulated markets, Ramnath Thakur informed that there are 7,085 APMC-regulated markets in India, with Maharashtra having the most at 929, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 633. The government supports strengthening APMCs by improving services and infrastructure.
On the Minimum Support Price (MSP), Thakur stated that the government fixes MSPs for 22 mandated agricultural crops based on the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) recommendations. The government paid ₹2.48 lakh crore in MSP during 2023-24, up from ₹2.37 lakh crore in 2022-23.
