NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 25, 2002: Groups of cotton farmers from four states have threatened to disobey the government ban on the use of genetically modified BT Cotton seed, unless a final decision on commercialization of the gene-vitalized seed is arrived at soon. The announcement comes less than 24 hours before a crucial meeting of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) on March 26. Farmers have already started to use the BT cotton, which generates its own pesticide, but without the provisions used in the US to prevent the insects from rapidly developing resistance to the pesticide.
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