Bt cotton production likely to grow as the area under cultivation of genetically modified Bt cotton in 2005-06 (October-September) increased by 160 percent up from 500000 hectares to estimated 1.3 million hectares, says International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
India has also a reason to be happy as more than 15.6 percent area has been brought under the cultivation from total 9 million hectares in India, said Bhagirath Choudhary, ISAAA head based in India.
Four companies have already introduced about 20 Bt cotton hybrid in Indian markets and more than 25 companies are in process of developing new breeds, informed Choudhary.
Recording a three-fold increase over 2004, more than 1 million small and marginal cotton growers planted Bt cotton in 2005, added Choudhary.