Bt Cotton

Delhi HC recently gave Veda Seed Sciences, 4 weeks time to file a response to the suit filed by Kohinoor Seed Fields India on the former promoting any product, other than BT cotton hybrid seeds

First crop to get such recommendation since Bt cotton in years, say experts

Two decades after Bt cotton made its debut in India, commercialisation of genetically modified crops remains mired in complex procedural rules

India has already allowed commercial use of BG-1 and BG-2 GM cotton while the approval for the BG-2 RRF has been pending at various stages. Field trials are likely for North Zone

Biased, unfounded propaganda by the denigrators of the GM technology is prevailing over the sane, evidence-based opinion of the scientific community resulting in loss for farmers, writes Surinder Sud

With this, the insect resistant transgenic crop has regained farmers' confidence which had been shaken three years ago

The bodies including BJP's own Kisan Cell, RSS-Supported Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Left-affiliated AIKKS are planning to petition the regulator about illegal Bt cultivation

The move came after several farmers under the banner of Shetkari Sangathana organised multiple sowing of HT BT as a mark of protest against what they said was illegal denial of technology to farmers

Delhi HC had refused the patent stating that seeds, plants and animals can't be patented

The desi variety of cotton is also registering yields better than the national average

The single judge had said that the Indian companies would pay trait fees to Monsanto according to government-set rates

The move comes hours after thousands of farmers in Maharashtra protested in Mumbai seeking loan waivers, among other demands

Indian farmers have been planting Bollgard II variety till now whose yields have hit a plateau and the government has not approved Bollgard 3 seeds yet

After a gap of two years, the central government might revise the 'trait value' (licence fee) of genetically modified (Bt) cotton seed for the 2018-19 crop season.The current price is Rs 800 for a 450g packet; this might also be changed. Of this, Rs 49 is the 'trait fee' and this could be cut by Rs 20-25. The Centre sets both rates.The trait fee is what seed companies have to pay to the licence holder. In this case, global giant Monsanto's joint venture partner in this country, Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMBL).For the 2017-18 season, the Centre had retained the trait value at Rs 49, which included all taxes. It had also kept the price of Bt cotton seed unchanged at Rs 800 per 450g. Bt cotton seed prices were first lowered in 2016, by a panel constituted by the Centre under the Cotton Seeds Price Control Order of December 2015. Brought down from Rs 830-1,030 earlier; trait value was lowered about 70 per cent, from Rs 163 a packet.The move was followed by a guideline issued in May 2016 ...

Union minister Mahesh Sharma's remarks assume significance as they come amid a controversy over the country's GM crop regulator GEAC recommending the commercial use of GM mustard

Lack of regulation behind cultivation of unapproved Bt-cotton

India's cotton exports are likely to decline this year (2016-17) to 6 million bales

In a major relief for plant breeders and farmers, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPVFR), the regulatory authority which supervises the rights of seed companies, has decided to dispense with the requirement of no-objection certificates (NoC) from the trait developer for breeding new Bt cotton varieties with genetically modified (GM) traits.Informed sources said that the Authority under the chairmanship of R R Hanchinal passed the resolution in its meeting held recently after receiving complaints from the users of GM cotton seeds popularly known as Bt cotton about the arbitrariness of stipulation of the NoC which was leading to a monopoly by its developer Monsanto. The Authority based on its earlier decision obtained a legal opinion which indicated that the NoC stipulation is contravening the legal provisions giving an undue advantage to trait developers like Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMBL). MMBL is a 51:49 per cent joint venture between the American biotech ...

The government is expected to soon allow commercial release of three genetically modified (Bt) and indigenously developed varieties of cotton seed, for the first time. These were grown by using the now off-patent Bollgard-1 technology (BG-1).Officials said the seeds (called PAU-1, RS 2013 and F-1861) had been recommended for commercial release by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The seeds can be re-used and this allows significantly lower prices than existing Bt cotton varieties, mostly licensed by seed giant Monsanto. Monsanto first started sub-licensing the BG-1 technology, which went off-patent in 2006. It now sub-licenses BG-2. Seeds produced by using this technology occupy 95 per cent of the Indian cotton market. A third technology, BG-3, is in the pipeline but commercial use has not yet been approved."We welcome the move to commercially release indigenously produced Bt cotton but it remains to be seen whether this is parallel to the existing BG-2. If priced ..

Govt's reluctance to allow gene-engineered variety is to blame