Banned HTBt cotton acreage may double in Maharashtra

About fifty per cent of the total cotton cultivated in Maharashtra this Kharif is most likely to be herbicide-tolerant Bt (HTBt) cotton as estimated five-7 lakh cotton farmers in the Point out may favor the banned HTBt seeds about other versions accessible in the industry.

Cotton is cultivated in 29 per cent of the total land beneath Kharif cultivation in Maharashtra of which the HTBt selection addresses 25-35 per cent of the area. Previous kharif, cotton was planted on forty two.86 lakh hectares in Maharashtra of which about 11-13 lakh hectares was estimated to be beneath HTBt. This calendar year, about fifty per cent of the total cotton cultivation will be beneath HTBt as enough total of seeds are accessible in the industry, claimed Shetkari Sanghatana (SS) President Anil Ghanwat.

“HTBt cotton cultivation is heading on in the Point out for the very last ten many years. We have not observed any damaging influence of the selection on individuals and animals. It is higher time the Centre legalised HTBt seeds. The seed sector should press for legalisation of HTBt seeds as a substitute of demanding actions versus all those marketing and employing this selection,” claimed Ghanwat.

Industry’s fears

In a new letter to Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal, the Federation of Seed Market of India (FSII) stated that its member providers account for close to 60 per cent of the industry share and add nearly 70 per cent of study and improvement-based costs of the seed sector. “We have elevated this concern with the ministry just before as properly. Having said that, this calendar year there is a significant boost in these kinds of illegal cultivation primarily in Maharashtra from 30 lakh packets very last calendar year to about 75 lakh packets this calendar year. It will not only decimate compact cotton seed providers but also threatens the full lawful cotton seed industry in Maharashtra. To make issues worse, the illegal seeds are offered employing the manufacturer identify of well known providers,” claimed Shivendra Bajaj, FSII Govt Director, in a letter.

“It looks that the big output of this cotton seed is in Gujarat and transported to Maharashtra. Werequest you to offer suitable instruction to the authorities for taking important action to set a end to these kinds of illegal things to do and get rigid action versus the offenders” FSII demanded in the letter.

In accordance to experiences, the Point out Agriculture Department has not too long ago seized HTBt seeds worthy of ₹2.five crore from Nagpur and Amravati regions.