Herbicide tolerant cotton not a panacea, only ecological disaster.
Contrary to false projections by international companies, HT cotton demands indiscriminate spraying of glyphosate herbicide for weed control which can lead to ecological disasters of creating monster weeds (herbicide-resistant weeds) and endanger the whole agricultural crop production systems in India
Once the world’s largest cotton producer and exporter, India has witnessed a significant drop in cotton production due to sharp decline in its area of cultivation over the last five years.
During the period between 2020-21 and 2024-25, country’s CAGR (compound annual growth rate) for area and production of cotton recorded a negative growth of (-) 4.12 per cent and (-) 3.70 per cent respectively. Cotton production, during this phase, fell from 352.48 lakh bales to 306.92 lakh bales.
The reason for decline in area of cultivation is primarily attributed to failure of Bt cotton against pink bollworms & other insects-pests which make it economically less attractive compared to the low-risk and highly remunerative crops like maize, rice, sugarcane etc. Further, climate change induced irregularity of monsoon has also added to the instability of cotton yield.
Despite declaration of minimum support price (MSP), price volatility in the cotton market further compounds the problem. Farmers are compelled to sell at prices below the MSP due to lack of 'legal guarantee' which disincentivises cotton cultivation. Adding to the problem, sharp increase of inputs prices of Bt cotton seeds, pesticides and labour without any significant yield gains during the last decade has made cotton an economically unviable option for farmers in the agriculturally progressive zones.
This crisis of cotton production has presented MNCs an opportunity in pressuring Indian policymakers to seek legalisation of HT cotton (herbicide tolerant) hybrids with false promises to double cotton production. However, the approval of HT cotton directly cannot increase yield in absence of improved high yielding varieties (HYVs) /hybrids as compared to readily-available cereals, rice, maize and cash crops like sugarcane.
Farmers are already facing serious problems of higher tolerance shown by American pink bollworm and others insects-pests created due to introduction of Bt cotton in 2002 which covered over 95 per cent areas of cotton cultivation in India by 2013. Bt cotton is now also affected by a new pest, tobacco streak virus (TSV), causing a disease known as cotton necrosis. TSV is an emerging issue in India and causing significant yield losses in cotton crop.
To boost cotton production in India, the goal should be development of climate- resilient HYVs/hybrids with improved resistance against insects-pests as successfully done in the cereals crops. On policy decisions fronts, the emphasis should be directed towards self-sufficiency through development of Indian HYVs/ hybrids with total legal ban on GM crops including Bt cotton and providing remunerative MSP with legal guarantee to farmers as incentives to grow more cotton.
read more :- CCI hikes cotton prices, 70% purchases made through e-bidding
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