Pakistan may buy BT cotton seed worth $1bn: The News

By Shahid Shah

KARACHI: The country has finalised issues in its negotiations with Monsanto about growing BT cotton which is expected to increase the yield by 40 per cent.

“Last year, around 28 per cent land was cultivated with BT cotton, but this year our target is 60 per cent,” Textiles Adviser Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig told The News. “There are also arrangements to produce BT seeds locally, and the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved growing BT cotton to increase production,” he said. Pakistan is in the process of signing a $1bn agreement for the purchase of BT cotton seed from Monsanto, a seed developing company of the United States, with a view to increasing cotton production by 40 per cent.

However, it has not been agreed so far how much quantity the country would purchase. BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a live microorganism that kills unwanted insects from forests and agriculture crops. Provided in cotton seed, it boosts the yield and protects the crop from most of the pests. Currently, farmers are using BT cotton seed on around 2.7 million acres of land against total cultivation of over eight million acres in the country.

BT cotton seed being sold in the country was smuggled and therefore illegal, said the textile adviser. BT cotton seed being produced and consumed in Pakistan is from its first generation and plant insects can develop resistance power against it. Experts say once BT cotton lost its resistance, the insect could damage the crop and the seed itself.

BT cotton seed requires continuous improvement in order to cope with growing immune power of insects. French expert Pierre Louis Dupont, who has around 20 years of experience in cotton seed development, was offered to become Pakistan’s consultant in its negotiations with Monsanto. Dupont, in an interview with The News, said there was a need to supply second generation BT cotton seed with weed control capability. With the use of BT cotton seed, he said, yield could be increased by 40 per cent.

India has boosted its cotton production to 30 million bales from 18 million. Pakistan can increase it to around 18 million bales from the current 12 million. The textile adviser said they were going to improve the supply chain. In the last couple of years, cotton production was low and industrialists suffered due to imports.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Pakistan may buy BT cotton seed worth $1bn: The News