HYDERABAD, INDIA, December 7, 2002: Mahyco-Monsanto’s Bt. (biotechnology) cotton in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh has failed on all three counts of ensuring higher yields, reducing pesticide usage and being economically rewarding for the farmer, according to an independent study commissioned by the Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defense of Diversity. The study estimated that the farmers growing Bt. cotton would earn 40 percent less than non-Bt farmers. It found that the pesticide sprays have not come down and safety protocols have been ignored. “In view of these findings, we wonder if Bt. cotton is worth it at all, given the environmental and ecological costs,” P. V. Satheesh, convener of the Coalition said, while demanding action against the multinational company for its “reckless promises and absolute lack of concern for safety aspects of Bt. farming.” In economic terms, Bt. has proved a total failure, the study said. Bt. cotton farmers had spent $165 per acre while non-Bt ones spent $145 per acre. Yet the yields remained the same. In the local market Bt. cotton was fetching a price which was 10 per cent less than the price for non-Bt. cotton. The main reason for the lower price commanded by Bt. cotton was its smaller staple length and more seeds per boll than non-Bt. cotton. To beat the price difference between Bt. and non-Bt cotton, farmers started mixing both of them, to get a better price, oblivious of the disastrous effect it would have on bio-safety. When such mixed cotton seeds having Bt. come to the oil mills, there would be no segregation and the oil could be consumed by human beings and the feed by animals. This may pose unknown health hazards for both humans and animals.
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