GMW: Monsanto's Bt cotton has failed in India

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GMW: Monsanto's Bt cotton has failed in India

" GM WATCH " <info

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 10:41:24 GMT

 

 

 

 

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EXCERPTS: Average yield per acre was found to be lower in the case of

Bt cotton in all categories of land holdings. Non-Bt cotton varieties

yielded between 15 and 17 percent more than the Bt cotton.

 

A major problem reported everywhere was the premature dropping of

bolls in Bt cotton that were on average smaller in size than the

non-Bt cotton bolls.

 

A comparison showed fewer bolls and shorter fibre length in Bt cotton.

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Monsanto's Bt cotton has failed in India: Gene Campaign

Suman Sahai and Veena Pachhapur

http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/128337/1/5339

 

The Andhra Pradesh Government will move the Monopoly and Restrictive

Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) over the issue of 'abnormally high

trait value' imposed by the multinational Monsanto and other companies

selling genetically-modified Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) cotton seeds to

farmers.

 

There are already reports showing that Monsanto's Bt cotton is a

failure where Gene Campaign conducted a field study to analyse the

performance of Bt cotton and non-Bt cotton.

 

The survey was conducted in selected locations in Maharashtra and

Andhra Pradesh and included a total of 100 farming families selected

by random sampling. The Bt cotton varieties compared were Bt. 162 and

Bt. 184 belonging to Mahyco-Monsanto and the non-Bt cotton varieties

were the local hybrids Brahma and Banny.

 

Bt cotton yields lower

 

Average yield per acre was found to be lower in the case of Bt cotton

in all categories of land holdings. Non-Bt cotton varieties yielded

between 15 and 17 percent more than the Bt cotton.

 

Poor quality cotton

 

The Bt cotton was found to be a shorter duration crop (90-100 days)

than the non-Bt cotton (100 to 120 days) but the plants showed less

vigorous growth, with fewer branches and smaller leaves. A major

problem reported everywhere was the premature dropping of bolls in Bt

cotton that were on average smaller in size than the non-Bt cotton bolls.

 

A comparison showed fewer bolls and shorter fibre length in Bt cotton.

Non-Bt. cotton was graded as A and B quality whereas Bt. cotton was

graded as B and C, fetching on an average Rs. 300/quintal less on the

market.

 

No resistance to pink bollworm

 

One of the most significant findings of this study was the indication

that these Bt cotton varieties do not offer protection against pink

bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella). Pink bollworm attack was found to

be severe after 60 to 70 days. There are two possible reasons for

this. The first is that the period of expression of the Bt endotoxin

does not coincide with the time of the bollworm attack. The other

explanation is that the pink bollworm is not susceptible to the Bt

endotoxin.

 

The latter theory receives support from scientific literature. Morin

et al. report that field populations of pink bollworm harbour three

genetic mutations that confer resistance to Bt toxin.

 

Economics of Bt cotton cultivation

 

The economics of cultivating Bt cotton is clearly not in favour of

farmers. The seed is about four times more expensive than the good

local hybrids. The difference in the price of seed is approximately

Rs. 1200 per (450 gm) bag, while savings on pesticide averaged only

Rs. 217 per acre.

 

The total investment per acre is much higher for Bt cotton than for

non-Bt cotton varieties. The Bt cotton farmer had to invest on

average, Rs. 983 more per acre than his non-Bt counterpart.

 

Net profit from Bt cotton was lower per acre compared to non-Bt cotton

in all types of fields (low to high yielding). In fact, 60 % of the

farmers cultivating Bt cotton were not even able to recover their

investment and incurred losses averaging Rs. 79 per acre

 

Why the Mahyco-Monsanto cotton failed?

 

A number of factors have probably contributed to the failure of

Mahyco-Monsanto's Bt cotton. The first is the poor quality of the

varieties.

It is known that MECH 162 and MECH 184, which were transformed to Bt

162 and Bt 184, are poor to modest performers. A better variety would

give better Bt cotton so the GEAC must answer why it approved this Bt

cotton when better quality Bt cotton hybrids belonging to Indian

companies are in the pipeline.

 

Because of the expensive seeds and modest pesticide saving, the

economics of the Bt crop is not favourable for the farmer. Tilting the

balance further is the fact that Bt cotton must be grown with a

refuge, necessary for resistance management. This is recommended as 20

% of the cultivated area by the GEAC. 'Wasting' 20 % of the land on

managing resistance makes the Bt cotton even more nonviable,

especially for small farmers.

 

A further problem appears to be the vulnerability of Bt cotton to pink

bollworm, which is a significant cotton pest in India. If this is

indeed the case as the study demonstrates, then the Bt strategy for

cotton is likely to fail because if the Bt endotoxin protects only

against the green bollworm and not against the pink bollworm, then

farmers will have to continue pesticide sprays.

 

No Regulatory structures set-up

 

One of the most shocking revelations of this investigation was the fact

that neither State Level nor District Level Committees had been set up

in either Maharashtra or Andhra Pradesh where Bt cotton was being

commercially grown. This is a breach of law and a direct violation of

the prescribed rules for the manufacture, use, import, export and

storage of hazardous microorganisms and genetically engineered

organisms and cells, under the Environment Protection Act, 1989.

 

SOURCE: http://www.genecampaign.org

 

 

 

 

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