Save cotton revolution: Reducing GM seeds price spells trouble for farmers

Though the government's action is meant to benefit 8 million cotton growers, in reality it may hurt them the most

The agriculture ministry’s ill-advised reduction of prices of genetically modified (GM) Bt-cotton seeds and the royalty payable to technology developers — the second time in three years — may have worrisome consequences for the cotton sector. For one, it is likely to reduce the availability of genuine seeds and instead spur the sale of spurious ones. At worst, it may jeopardise the sustainability of the cotton revolution that has made India the world’s largest producer and second-largest exporter of this natural fibre. The price reduction of Rs 60 per seed pack of 450 gm has come about at a time