NEW DELHI: In a major agricultural reform aimed at doubling cotton production in the country, the government is planning to legalise the controversial herbicide-tolerant (Ht) Bt cotton (HtBt cotton). The expert committee on HtBt cotton seeds has given a positive recommendation for its commercial cultivation to the top biosafety regulatory body, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), after analysing three years of biosafety data.Environmentalists are concerned that the approval may lead to farmers indiscriminately spraying Glyphosate, a controversial herbicide used to eliminate weeds without harming cotton crops. This practice raises concerns about potential negative impacts on the environment and other crops grown in nearby fields. The GEAC appointed the committee in 2022 to study the adverse effects of HtBt cotton. The committee assessed the biosafety data of Bayer-owned, Monsanto-patented HtBt cotton for the years 2022-2024, reviewed the fresh risk assessment and risk management, and yield claim, and found it satisfactory. However, HtBt cotton cultivation has been occurring illegally in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana for many years. “If we approve commercial cultivation, then farmers who are getting ‘unauthorised seeds’ would get the right quality of seeds, where the seller would be made accountable,” a senior officer said.
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