Delhi NGO says 1st Bt crop flop

Gene Campaign founder Suman Sahai has ‘‘demanded an investigation into this act of criminal negligence which has endangered the fundamental rights of every citizen to a healthy life and safe environment guaranteed under the Constitution of India.’’

In the field data presented, 98 per cent of the farmers said no to whether they would plant Bt seeds next year. The report also calculated that the investment per acre was Rs 983 higher than that on non-Bt.

‘‘Sixty per cent of Bt farmers were unable to recover costs and were in the red to the tune of Rs 80 per acre,’’ Sahai said. Farmers sprayed the same amount of pesticides on Bt crop as on non-Bt crop, she alleged. Sahai also demanded that Monsanto, the company whose Bt cotton varieties were approved in March 2002, paid compensation to the farmers who suffered losses.

Putting the debate in perspective was S.K. Raina from the National Plant Biotechnology Centre who said that there was need for generation of more data before commercial release of any genetically modified crop. ‘‘May be the illegal release of Bt cotton by a company in Gujarat which was performing well, pressured authorities to grant approval to Monsanto’s Bt cotton,’’ he said.

According to him, the hybrid used by Monsanto to incorporate Bt gene is not really ideal. He pointed out that this year was a drought year and that there was no pest attack. ‘‘Had monsoon been normal, differentiation between Bt-cotton and the non-Bt varieties might have been more distinct,’’ he said.

To add twist to the tale, there was a group of nearly 20 farmers present in the meeting that claimed that Bt cotton was doing fine and that they would plant it again in the coming season. ‘‘Do not create confusion about new technologies. While different opinions are expressed, it is the farmer who suffers,’’ said J. Reddy, a farmer from Warangal district.