Warning bells
INDIA is the third largest producer of cotton after China and the U.S. The
Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. Ltd Mahyco is one of the largest and most trusted
seed companies in India. In 1998, after 8 years of negotiation, Monsanto became
a 50% shareholder in the company and received approval to conduct
countrywide field trials. The data compiled was never made public.
On the 26th of March 2002 the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee of
India, gave the conditional clearance to Monsanto and Mahyco for commercial
planting of the genetically engineered Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt.) cotton in four
states of southern and central India.
In June 2002, about 55,000 cotton farmers decided to grow Bt cotton, which was
developed by inserting a gene of bacteria into the plant's genome to enable it to
resist bollworm, a major pest for cotton.
In the first few months the farmers were delighted with the crop since it grew fast
and looked healthy. Most satisfying was that the leaves were not being eaten by
worms.