Expectation of below-normal monsoon: Maharashtra government to promote non-BT cotton seeds

PUNE: On the backdrop of last year's weak monsoon and the prospects of a below-normal monsoon this year, the Maharashtra government fears that the distress condition in poor soil districts of the cotton belt may get worse. As a measure to mitigate the risk, the government plans to promote non-Bt cotton seeds, whose production costs are lesser than the Bt variety, in these regions.

"We are taking a big campaign to promote the straight, non-Bt, non-hybrid cotton seed varieties in the entire Marathwada region, which is almost completely rainfed," said Umakant Dangat, divisional commissioner, Aurangabad region.

Dangat also informed the state government recently that the distress conditions in Marathwada can worsen if rains are not good this year too. "We want at least 20 per cent area under cotton to come under straight varieties," he said. On account of the rural distress, the state agriculture minister has already asked Bt cotton seed companies to reduce seed price by Rs.100 a packet of 450 gm from Rs.930. Of the 85 countries growing cotton in the world, only 4-5 countries use Bt cotton seeds. And unlike other countries using Bt technology, Bt cotton technology in India is available only in hybrid seeds, while the area under Bt variety is more than 97 per cent of the total area under cotton. Due to high flowering window of cotton crop in India, pesticide usage is also high. As against a crop period of 150 to 160 days in countries like Brazil, America and Australia, the minimum duration of cotton crop in India is 210 days. As against just 6-7 buds of cotton per plant all flowering at the same time Indian cotton plant gets 80-90 buds, flowering over a few months, with more exposure to the boll-worm attack.

High input costs and a deficient monsoon will worsen financial condition of cotton farmers.

According to the data of the agriculture ministry, the cost of cotton cultivation is highest in Maharashtra but the profit margin is the lowest. The Central Institute of Cotton Research at Nagpur has been carrying out pilot studies of non-hybrid cotton seeds with high density planting method since past three years.