Up to 30 per cent of cotton area under ‘illegal’ GM hybrids, finds study

A recent study commissioned by the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) and National Seed Association of India (NSAI) has found that up to 30% of the cotton area in India is being cultivated under illegal GM hybrids containing unapproved genetically modified (GM) traits. Out of the 114.8 lakh hectares (lh) area sown under cotton in 2025-26, the study estimates that 26.2-29 lh, or 24-30%, is occupied by hybrids with unauthorised herbicide-tolerant (HT) or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes.

These unapproved genes include cp4-epsps, which allows for glyphosate herbicide resistance, and Vip3A, which offers broader spectrum bollworm control. The findings highlight the widespread adoption of illegal HT technology by farmers due to labor shortages and high manual weeding costs, despite the government's approval of only two GM cotton genes in India.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Indian Express - India's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.