October 2007
Oct 19,Commodity Online	Special: Bt Cotton makes Indian farmers smile India was a net importer of cotton till 2002, when the Indian government permitted Bt cotton cultivation. The country has now become a net exporter. In 2002, cotton production was 140 lakh bales, which has now reached 270 lakh bales. Currently, about 9 million hectares is under cotton cultivation. 70% of this is covered with hybrid cotton out of which 80% is Bt cotton. India’s cotton exports are estimated to be around 4.5 million bales in 2006-07. With increase in productivity, there has been decrease in costs, the main reason for which has been the reduced usage of pesticides. Experts opine that Bt cotton has been very successful and beneficial for farmers.
Oct 18,Newindpress.com	Now, a genetically engineered ‘baingan bhartha’ Hyderabad-based Sathguru Management Consultants and Cornell University researchers have completed the first stage of developing a pest-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (brinjal). This first genetically engineered food crop is likely to be marketed by Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds, a partner in this project, by 2009. The bore resistant brinjals (Bt brinjals) could increase yield two-fold and reduce insecticide usage by at least 30 per cent. Experts say that Bt brinjals showed no allergic or toxic effects on fish, chicken, goats, rats, rabbits and cattle, after consumption. Tests will also be conducted to assess crop’s resistance to fruit and shoot borer, cross-pollination with other crops, and yield comparison with conventional crop.
Oct 12,The Economic Times	Private Revolution: King Cotton is back with a bang! Significant growth of 13% per year was seen during the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-03 to 2006-07) as against the 2.3% performance of other crops. The Cotton Advisory Board has stated that growth in cotton output has risen from 14 million bales in 2002-03 to 27 million bales in 2006-07. India is now the third largest exporter and second largest producer of cotton, exporting more than 5.4 million bales worth over $1 billion. While the late 1960s or early 1970s we had the green revolution, the growth in cotton production can be termed white revolution, which is spreading fast. A major cause of this growth is the introduction of Bt cotton, which covers 40% of the total area under cotton.