The Hindu Business Line : Monsanto monopoly over Bt cotton ends

Sowing the seed
About 80 per cent of Bt cotton sales this year would be at the Rs 750-per packet price.
The total value of Bt seed market this year would be Rs 800 crore

New Delhi , July 30

Monsanto's monopoly over Bt cotton technology in the country is finally over.

During the current planting season, two new players — the Hyderabad-based JK Agri-Genetics Ltd and Nath Seeds Ltd of Aurangabad, have launched hybrids based on alternate technologies (`constructs') for incorporating genes from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt.

With kharif sowing virtually complete in most States — barring Tamil Nadu, where planting is mainly from November — total sales of Bt cotton seeds are said to have crossed 85 lakh packets of 450 gm each. "We see final sales touching 90 lakh packets this year, which would cover 90 lakh acres or 36 lakh hectares," said Mr Bhagirath Choudhary, a Delhi-based agri-biotech consultant.

Significantly, out of the 90-lakh packets, JK Agri and Nath Seeds both expect to do business of 2.5 lakh packets each. That may add up to only six per cent, but still a change from last year, when the entire 32 lakh packets sold was based on Monsanto's patented `Bollgard' technology. The Centre has, till date, approved 59 Bt cotton hybrids for commercial release, of which 44 incorporate the cry1Ac Bt gene construct of Monsanto. In addition, there are eight hybrids containing `Bollgard-II', which is a stacked combination of cry1Ac and cry1Ab Bt genes.

JK Agri has got clearance for four hybrids: `JK Varun Bt' in the Central zone, `JK Durga Bt' and `JKCH-99 Bt' in the South and `JKCH-1947 Bt' in the North. Nath's three approved hybrids are `NCEH-6 Bt' for the North, `NCEH-2R Bt' for Central and `NCEH-3R Bt' for the South.

"This year, we will do 2.5-3 lakh packets. Next year, we are targeting 10-15 lakhs," said Dr Satish Raina, Chief Advisor to Nath Seeds. While JK Agri has used an alternate cry1Ac gene construct developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Nath has sourced its `cry1Ab-cry1Ac fusion gene' technology from Biocentury Transgene Technology Company, a Chinese Government-promoted joint venture.

According to industry sources, 80 per cent of Bt cotton sales this year would be at the Rs 750-per packet price mandated by the Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu Governments. In the northern States, where no explicit pricing orders were issued, the seeds were sold at Rs 1,200-1,300. Besides, about 1.75 lakh `Bollgard-II' packets were marketed at Rs 1,310-1,360. "The total value of the Bt seed market this year would be Rs 800 crore," they added.

More Stories on : Bio-tech & Genetics | Cotton | Seeds | Market Shares

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Monsoon `gateways' in deficit as rains keep away

RIL `misleading' Govt on gas price issue, says RNRL

Cost savings, price hikes lift Hind Lever net 35%

Short breaks a hit with domestic tourists

ITL in talks to offload 10 pc stake

Monsanto monopoly over Bt cotton ends

Sensex likely to move in narrow range

Infosys staff to get jubilee bonanza

Banks want roll-back of CRR interest rate decision

Lalu promises relook at superfast fares