Rising prices of BT cotton seeds and farmers' worries
The rising prices of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton seeds is becoming a big problem for the cotton producing farmers. The price of Bollgard-2 variety seeds has been continuously increased by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in the last few years, due to which the production cost of farmers has increased. At the same time, farmers are still waiting for an improved and more effective version of this technology, due to which their resentment is increasing.
The most cultivated variety in the country is Bolgard-2, while the use of Bolgard-1 is relatively less. But due to increasing costs and decreasing profits, cotton cultivation is now becoming a loss-making deal. This year, farmers did not even get fair price for cotton, due to which the economic pressure increased further.
Farmers faced many problems during farming—like shortage of labour, rising prices of fertilizers and black marketing of seeds. Despite all this, farmers sowed cotton, but the crop defied expectations.
Farmers have been waiting for a long time for a new cotton variety resistant to pests like pink bollworm. However, even this year no such advanced and effective variety has been available in the market. On the contrary, the prices of Bt cotton seeds are continuously increasing, leading to increasing dissatisfaction in cotton growing areas.
Farmers say that the government decides the price of seeds, but does not ensure that the same price is implemented in the market. Due to lack of control over black marketing of seeds and selling at higher prices, farmers are being financially exploited.
Details of increase in seed prices:
* 2023-24 season: Bt (Bolgard-2) seeds – ₹853 per bag
* 2024-25 season: ₹864 per bag
* 2025-26 season: ₹901 per bag
* Bollgard-1 seeds in 2025-26: ₹635 per bag
There is no visible progress towards genetic improvement in cotton seeds. Farmers are now waiting for a variety that has effective resistance to pink bollworm. Cotton was once a major cash crop, but now the crop is becoming more profitable for seed, pesticide and herbicide companies rather than for farmers.
