Grey market corners new GM hybrids as farmers look beyond Bt cotton

Sold illegally, new the GM varieties are popular, as they offer both insect and herbicide tolerance

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops with new transgenic traits such as herbicide tolerance (HT) is spreading fast in cotton growing states even though no license or approval has been granted by authorities such as GEAC or ICAR for growing them in India.

Farmers are swayed by the multiple benefits of these GM varieties, which are being sold illegally, as they offer the twin advantage of bollworm resistance and herbicide tolerance. In comparison, the approved Bt variety (Bollgard I and Bollgard II) is only bollworm-resistant. 

The new GM varieties are being sold at half the price of approved hybrid