Bt cotton to be available commercially

After the successful implementation of Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) Cotton (hybrid) seeds, two more genetically modified crops Bt Brinjal and Bt Cotton (variety) would be commercially available in Indian market from next year.

Revealing this information, K C Bansal from Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) said that with successful field trials of Bt Cotton (variety) and Bt Brinjal, both these crops would be commercially available in the market from 2009.

Commenting on the other crops that were in pipeline, Bansal said that trials were being conducted on crops like okra, cabbage, cauliflower, chickpea and rice and in coming future these crops would also be available in genetically modified varieties.

While the Bt cotton (variety) Bikaneri Narma would be marketed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR), the Bt Brinjal would be marketed by Mahyco (Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company).

Commenting on the success of BT cotton hybrid in India, Bansal said India’s cotton production was largely stagnant till 2001, but within six years of launch of genetically modified cotton, Bt cotton, India’s cotton production has doubled, making it the second largest producer and third largest exporter of cotton in the world.

Bansal maintained that increase in the number of farmers adopting Bt cotton could easily be gauged by the fact that seed companies in India have sold around 27 million packets of Bt cotton hybrid seeds worth over Rs 2,000 crore during the current season.

Bansal maintained the success of Bt cotton should be replicated in other crops as well.

He revealed that in over 60 countries, research was underway in over 50 fruits, vegetables, field crops and other plants to help increase crop production.

Bansal added research in biotechnology could increase crop productivity to help meet rising farmer and consumer needs globally and in India.

Also growing adoption of genetically modified crops could contribute to achieving the UN's Millennium Development Goal of helping to reduce poverty and hunger by 50 per cent by 2050.

According to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), for over a decade, biotechnology has improved crop productivity and increased crop yields, and has the potential to increase productivity by another 25 per cent world-wide to help farmers feed the burgeoning population.