To grow, or not to grow Bt Cotton is the big question

Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton is a genetically modified organism (GMO) cotton variety, which produces an insecticide to bollworm. The companies which provide these seeds offer a guarantee that no pest can attack them.

However, these companies are now silent after farmers incurred massive losses due to a particular pest attack on Bt cotton, which has decimated crops.

A report of the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) also disproves the claim of the companies. The report states that the Bt cotton varieties developed by Monsanto and marketed by Mahyco, are susceptible to jassids, aphids and sucking pests and several crop diseases.

In Karnataka, cotton is grown mostly in North Karnataka. During the last monsoon, cotton was grown in 8.5 lakh hectares. 95% of that land was used to grow Bt cotton, mostly in Raichur, Yadagiri, Koppala, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Dharawada, Gadag and Haveri districts.

Raichur district produces the largest crop of cotton in Karnataka. Last year, in Raichur alone, Bt cotton was cultivated in 60,000 hectares of land. The Bt cotton variety was developed by the US-based company Monsanto, which has been criticised for destroying indigenous varieties with its Bt versions.

The Bt cotton has the capacity of producing 200 types of poisonous elements, which can destroy the pests. But due to a disease named Gulabi Kayikoraka, the Bt cotton crop in the district has been destroyed, despite the promises of Monsanto of a safe yield.

Farmers incurred a loss of ₹500 crore, says the Farmers' Association (Raitha Sangha).

Currently, rainfall has brought some smiles, but the farmers remain confused about whether to plant their Bt cotton crop or not. The farmers' association (Raitha Sangha) has asked them not to grow Bt cotton for at least two more years. The association is campaigning in every village.

The Raitha Sangha claims Bt crops destroy indigenous varieties of food crops and make farmers depend on the American company for seeds and pesticides. This yield grown in this manner is also allegedly full of strong pesticides and considered of low quality. But the crop is high in elements considered hazardous to health.

If the campaigning was not enough, farmers are facing an entirely opposite reaction from the government, which itself seems confused on the issue.

On the one hand, Agriculture Department officers are setting the crops destroyed by the pest on fire, to eradicate the disease. But on the other hand, the Agriculture University experts encourage the use of Bt cotton seeds and are actively pushing for cotton crops. The experts fear that not growing cotton will affect the market.

Caught between the two forces for now, all the farmers seem to be able to do is watch with puzzlement.

Ramakrishna Dasari