Cotton cultivators in Punjab and Haryana would now have to pay a higher price for Bt cotton seed. This is because government of both these states have assented to raise prices of these seeds for the next cotton cultivation season by 8 to 10 percent.
Punjab and Haryana governments have permitted the seed manufacturing firms to hike the prices of Bt cotton seed by Rs 75 per packet of 450 gm, for Bt-I and Bt-II varieties.
While Bt-I variety of cotton seeds protects the crop against attack of American Bollworm, Bt-II safeguards the crop against attack of bollworm as well as tobacco caterpillar.
The price of Bt-I for the new season has been raised to Rs. 825 per packet of 450 gm from Rs. 750 per packet, while the price of Bt-II variety of seeds has been increased to Rs. 1,000 per packet from Rs. 925 per packet.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India