Hybrid cotton set to reap bumper results
Cotton belts are likely to tell a different story this year. With most farmers shifting to hybrid cotton varieties, experts say the state is in for a bumper crop.
By Abhiram Ghadyalpatil, TNN |
MUMBAI: Cotton belts are likely to tell a different story this year. With most farmers shifting to hybrid cotton varieties, experts say the state is in for a bumper crop.
Cultivation of cotton on such a magnitude would lead to bumper cotton yield this year in Maharashtra, say its votaries and experts. The advertisement campaign by Mahyco-Monsanto Biotechnology, which is the main distributor of seeds in the state, says the productivity of cotton seeds is 25% to 30% higher than local varieties. This means an acre of cotton should produce 7 to 8 quintals of cotton under scientific conditions for cultivation.
Mr Patil said Maharashtra would see a record production of cotton in ’06-07, mainly due to high cultivation. “Even heavy rains during July-August in the cotton belts will not affect production,” Mr Patil said. NP Hirani, president, Maharashtra cotton growers’ marketing federation, said the yield could be as high as 250 lakh quintals. “Thanks to the record cultivation, the yield could cross even 250 lakh quintal mark,” Mr Hirani told ET.
Mr Jawandhiya, however. disputes this claim. “Last year also, about 40% area was under cotton, but the yield did not go beyond 170 lakh quintals. I feel, due to the massive shift to varieties, seed producing companies may stop supplying indigenous varieties from next year.”
Mahyco-Monsanto officials were unavailable for comments. Experts link the paradigm shift from local varieties to biotech ones this year to the aggressive marketing strategy adopted by the US agriculture major Monsanto, which has tied up with Mahyco Seeds in Maharashtra for distribution of cotton seeds, and non-profitability of traditional cotton farming. Earlier this year, the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) hearing a complaint filed by the Andhra Pradesh government against very high royalty being charged by the company on sale of cotton seeds, directed the company to bring down the price. The ruling came as a blessing for other cotton producing states as the price of GM varieties fell from Rs 1,750 for a 450 gm bag to Rs 550.
“Reduction in price is the main reason why farmers have opted Bt cotton this year,” Mr Jawandhiya said. Coupled with price reduction, Mahyco-Monsanto Biotechnology sub-licensed around 35 local companies in Maharashtra, especially in the cotton-producing regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada, Khandesh, allowing them to distribute seeds.
The shift to cotton in Maharashtra and other states is in keeping with the trend in 80 cotton growing countries, of which the US, China, and India are the largest producers, accounting for more than half of the global yield. The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has estimated that biotech varieties of cotton were sowed on 24% of the world cotton area in ’04-05, accounting for 35% of world production and 31% of cotton traded in the international market.
Cultivation of cotton on such a magnitude would lead to bumper cotton yield this year in Maharashtra, say its votaries and experts. The advertisement campaign by Mahyco-Monsanto Biotechnology, which is the main distributor of seeds in the state, says the productivity of cotton seeds is 25% to 30% higher than local varieties. This means an acre of cotton should produce 7 to 8 quintals of cotton under scientific conditions for cultivation.
Mr Patil said Maharashtra would see a record production of cotton in ’06-07, mainly due to high cultivation. “Even heavy rains during July-August in the cotton belts will not affect production,” Mr Patil said. NP Hirani, president, Maharashtra cotton growers’ marketing federation, said the yield could be as high as 250 lakh quintals. “Thanks to the record cultivation, the yield could cross even 250 lakh quintal mark,” Mr Hirani told ET.
Mr Jawandhiya, however. disputes this claim. “Last year also, about 40% area was under cotton, but the yield did not go beyond 170 lakh quintals. I feel, due to the massive shift to varieties, seed producing companies may stop supplying indigenous varieties from next year.”
Mahyco-Monsanto officials were unavailable for comments. Experts link the paradigm shift from local varieties to biotech ones this year to the aggressive marketing strategy adopted by the US agriculture major Monsanto, which has tied up with Mahyco Seeds in Maharashtra for distribution of cotton seeds, and non-profitability of traditional cotton farming. Earlier this year, the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) hearing a complaint filed by the Andhra Pradesh government against very high royalty being charged by the company on sale of cotton seeds, directed the company to bring down the price. The ruling came as a blessing for other cotton producing states as the price of GM varieties fell from Rs 1,750 for a 450 gm bag to Rs 550.
“Reduction in price is the main reason why farmers have opted Bt cotton this year,” Mr Jawandhiya said. Coupled with price reduction, Mahyco-Monsanto Biotechnology sub-licensed around 35 local companies in Maharashtra, especially in the cotton-producing regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada, Khandesh, allowing them to distribute seeds.
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The shift to cotton in Maharashtra and other states is in keeping with the trend in 80 cotton growing countries, of which the US, China, and India are the largest producers, accounting for more than half of the global yield. The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has estimated that biotech varieties of cotton were sowed on 24% of the world cotton area in ’04-05, accounting for 35% of world production and 31% of cotton traded in the international market.
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