Seed industry bodies FSII and NSAI have demanded that the government allow commercial cultivation of herbicide-tolerant Bt (HTBt) cotton at the earliest, as the crop variety is being grown illegally in some parts of the country. According to reports from Business Standard, unauthorised HTBt cotton was grown on 65,720 lakh acres in Kharif 2025-26, representing 2430% of India's total cotton area. FSII Chairman Ajai Rana informed that 1.25 crore packets of HTBt seed are being sold, currently worth ₹1,500 crore, with the total cotton seed market valued at ₹6,000 crore for 5.5 crore packets. A study conducted by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC) covered 16 districts across Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, combining farmer surveys, supply-chain assessment and ELISA-based gene testing.
The associations stressed the need to introduce high-yielding varieties and new technologies to boost domestic cotton production and reduce imports. As reported by Business Standard, Mahyco has already made an application for HT Bt cotton approval in 2024, but the government has not fast-tracked the process. Sales of legal Bt cotton seeds have declined as farmers turn to illegal alternatives. The study found that farmers are actively bypassing formal channels and paying a premium technology fee to the black market just to secure operational survival and crop insurance. Farmers are not breaking the law out of choice. They are paying a black-market premium because the regulatory system has not given them the technology they need.
The study highlighted significant cost differences driving the shift toward illegal HTBt cotton cultivation. According to Business Standard reports, weed control with glyphosate costs ₹750-850 an acre, against ₹12,000-15,000 for manual weeding. Glyphosate use rose 26% in a year, from 27,721 kilolitres in 2024-25 to 35,642 kilolitres in 2025-26. The associations also demanded changes in glyphosate label claims, noting that unchecked use of unapproved genes and unmonitored glyphosate spraying could breed resistant pests and weeds that devastate cotton productivity.
India's cotton production stands at around 29 million bales (of 170 kg each). As reported by Business Standard, due to a drop in productivity per acre, India has lost self-sufficiency in cotton production and become an importer of cotton. Dr C D Mayee, President of Indian Society for Cotton Improvement and President of South Asia Biotechnology Centre, emphasized that unchecked use of unapproved genes and unmonitored glyphosate spraying could breed resistant pests and weeds that devastate cotton productivity. The associations argue that regulatory approval of herbicide-tolerant cotton and the pink bollworm trait should be a national priority to regain self-sufficiency and revive the cotton economy.
