Bt Insect-Resistant Cotton: 20 Years in India

‘Despite the challenges of misinformation, the technology has enjoyed the confidence of farmers, researchers and policymakers’:  

In the year 2022, Bt cotton will complete two decades of cultivation in the country. Around 11.7 million hectares (93.6 percent) of total 12.5 million hectares under cotton cultivation in 2019-20 was planted with Bt cotton seeds. There remains little doubt that Bt cotton has not only benefited the farmers, but also the textile industry, oil industry and boosted our economy.  

Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, over the last decade, reports that cotton yields in the country increased by more than 300%; pesticide consumption reduced by ~ 50%; acreage increased by 150% and production increased by 400%. This technological advancement enabled over 7 million farmers earn an additional farm income of USD 16.69 billion. 

Source: GLP