The Hindu Business Line : Bt cotton lets down AP farmers: Study

BT Cotton, introduced by Mahyco-Monsanto company in Andhra Pradesh, has failed to fulfil its promise, says a study made by agricultural scientists Dr Abdul Qayoom, former Joint Director of Agriculture in the State and Mr Sakkari Kiran of Permaculture Institute of India.

The study report was released to the press here on Saturday by Mr P. V. Sateesh, Convenor of Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defence of Diversity, a non-government organisation.

The study, conducted in 11 villages of Warangal district in AP, states that in economic terms, Bt cotton has proved a total failure. The current yields for both Bt and non-Bt cotton are same at 4-5 quintals per acre. But non-Bt plants have a life of 2-3 months more and are expected to yield another 3-4 quintals. Therefore, non-Bt cotton will produce at least 30 per cent more cotton.

Besides, the pesticides use has shown only a marginal difference. While farmers have sprayed pesticides 4-6 times, they have sprayed 5-7 times on non-Bt cotton crop.

On the whole, the study states, Bt cotton farmers have spent a total of Rs 8,000 per acre while non- Bt farmers spent Rs 7,100 till date. Bt farmers paid Rs 1,600 for seeds per acre while non-Bt farmers paid only Rs 450 per acre. However, Bt farmers had one spray of pesticides less than the non-Bt farmers resulting in a saving of Rs 400. Despite this, Bt farmer had to end up spending Rs 900 more per acre than non-Bt farmer as had to pay Rs 1,150 more towards the purchase of seed. Besides, the labour charges are stated to be about Rs 150 more for picking Bt cotton.

This apart, the price of Bt cotton is 10 per cent less than the non-Bt cotton in the local market as the size of its bolls and staple length is smaller than the conventional cotton hybrids under cultivation. As a result, in terms of total earning at the end of the cotton season, a non-Bt farmer is estimated to earn around Rs 6,000 more per acre than a Bt farmer, the study says.

Mr Sateesh told newspersons that the findings completely belie the expectations and hype raised by the Bt cotton industry. Bt cotton was expected to reduce pesticide usage, increase the crop yields and enhance the earnings of the farmers. However, it had failed on all three counts and the cotton farmers of Warangal district were saying they would not cultivate Bt cotton hereafter.

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