Bathinda: Growers divided on new GM cotton seed

Sameer Singh

Bathinda, October 30

Amid talks of release of a new genetically-modified (GM) cotton seed variety Bollgard-II RRF by Bayer AG, a Germany-based company in India, farmers have given a mixed response to the new variety, which is considered an antidote for the pink bollworm infestation.

While a section of farmers hailed the development citing they won’t have to bear losses caused due to use of an “outdated” variety of cotton seed, others exhorted that research be conducted on local varieties of seeds and refined varieties be introduced.

Cotton farmers have already suffered substantial damage to their crop in the last two years and as a result loss of income.

Farmers to reap bountiful harvest

New genes are inserted in the GM seeds, which are not only pest-resistant, but also make the use of insecticides almost negligible. If the new variety counters the pink bollworm as it claims, then unlike past few seasons, farmers are bound to reap a bountiful harvest in the coming years. —Dilbagh Singh, Chief agri officer, Bathinda

Farmers are of the opinion that the Union Government, after working out all possible modalities with regard to new GM cotton variety, must expedite the process for its final rollout. After trial, if there are any shortcomings, they must be rectified before its rollout. The area under cotton cultivation has dropped in the state after the crop came under pink bollworm and whitefly attack for the past two consecutive years. Not many farmers are willing to sow cotton in the next season as well.

Saroop Sidhu, general secretary of the BKU Lakhowal (Tikait), said: “BT cotton seed was introduced in 2002 for the first time in the country and it paved way for better cotton yield. Later a refined variety of the seed, BT I, was introduced in 2017 that failed badly and farmers were left with barely any alternative than to switch back to the old BT variety. But with time this variety has also not proved effective against the pest attack. A new variety, if it promises better yield and resistance to pink bollworm, then it must be rolled out soon.”

Agricultural experts said reduction in area under cotton cultivation was a cause for concern as farmers were switching back to the water-guzzler paddy crop, which will have wider repercussions in terms of depleting groundwater table of the state with a sizable number of its districts already featuring in ‘dark zone’.

But farmer leaders from the BKU Ekta Ugrahan have a different stance on the development and term it a “corporate gimmick”.

Shingara Singh Mann, president of the BKU Ekta Ugrahan, said: “Rather than strengthening traditional farming practices and laying emphasis on research on local seeds, the Centre is showing more interest in GM seeds developed by foreign countries. These seeds are effective only for few years.”