Unauthorised HTBt Cotton Cultivation Accounts for Up to 30% of India’s Cotton Area: Study
Labour shortages and rising weed management costs are driving adoption across an estimated 65–72 lakh acres during the 2025 kharif season
A study by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), supported by the Federation of Seed Industry of India and the National Seed Association of India (NSAI), estimates that unauthorised herbicide-tolerant Bt (HTBt) cotton cultivation covered around 24–30% of India’s cotton acreage during the 2025 kharif season. The study puts the area under cultivation at approximately 65–72 lakh acres and estimates the value of the informal HTBt cotton seed market at ₹820–880 crore.
Based on field surveys and stakeholder interactions across 16 cotton-growing districts in Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, the study identified labour shortages, rising cultivation costs and the need for more efficient weed management as key factors behind farmers’ adoption of unauthorised seeds.
Glyphosate Consumption Rises Alongside HTBt Adoption
The study links the spread of HTBt cotton with increased consumption of glyphosate, a herbicide associated with the technology. Glyphosate-based weed management costs farmers approximately ₹750–850 per acre, compared with ₹12,000–15,000 for manual labour, according to the study.
Glyphosate usage increased by 26% from 27,271 kilolitres (KL) in 2024–25 to 35,642 KL in 2025–26, with import data cited as corroborating the rise. The study also reported that the herbicide was increasingly being sourced through underground networks in bulk quantities, including drums of up to 20 litres.
Maharashtra Records Highest Reported Adoption
Maharashtra emerged as the main centre of HTBt cotton cultivation, with adoption estimated at 58% and reaching 76% in Yavatmal district.
The study also reported high adoption levels in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh:
- Telangana: 66% adoption, reaching 82% in Mahabubabad.
- Andhra Pradesh: 49% adoption, reaching 75% in Kurnool.
- Rajasthan: Adoption remained negligible, which the study attributed to shorter crop duration and comparatively manageable weed pressure.
The findings indicate substantial regional differences in the adoption of unauthorised HTBt cotton.
Testing Identifies Multiple Genetic Trait Combinations
The study found that 98.2% of the 227 samples tested—223 samples—were positive for at least one genetically modified (GM) trait.
The reported prevalence of individual genes was:
- Cry1Ac: 95.1%
- Cry2Ab: 84.1%
- CP4EPSPS: 72.7%
- Vip3A: 53.7%
Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab are associated with Bollgard-II technology. CP4EPSPS is an unapproved herbicide-tolerance gene, while Vip3A is an insect-resistance gene.
The study identified 14 combinations involving the four genes, indicating the presence of multi-trait cotton hybrids across major growing regions. Quadruple stacks containing Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, CP4EPSPS and Vip3A accounted for 41.9% of samples. Triple-trait combinations represented 30.4%, while double-trait combinations accounted for 21.1%.
Overall, CP4EPSPS was detected in 72.7% of samples, while Vip3A was present in 53.7%, according to the study.
Approved Bollgard-II Seed Sales Decline
The expansion of unauthorised HTBt cotton is also affecting the approved seed market. According to the study, sales of Bollgard-II (BG-II) seeds containing the Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab insect-resistance traits declined by 22.3% across India between 2022 and 2026.
The findings raise concerns about seed quality, biosafety and the potential development of resistance to herbicides and insect-control technologies. The study noted that farmers purchasing unauthorised seeds through informal channels may have limited recourse if the seeds fail to perform as expected.
Study Calls for a Time-Bound Regulatory Framework
The study attributed the spread of unauthorised HTBt cotton partly to regulatory delays and called for a transparent, time-bound approval process for next-generation cotton technologies. It recommended that the government fast-track approval of BG-II-RRF cotton to provide farmers with access to validated seeds through legitimate channels.
Bhagirath Chaudhary, Founder Director of SABC, said the findings highlighted the need for an integrated approach involving a transparent policy framework, a coherent national strategy and a functional regulatory system.
“Such a system must be capable of effectively evaluating biosafety, agronomic performance and stewardship requirements, while ensuring that only approved GM cotton technologies reach farmers in a timely and regulated manner, with due emphasis on seed quality and scientific resistance management of pests and weeds at the field level. Further, it underscores the need to align R&D innovation, regulation, scientific outreach and farmer welfare within a predictable, time-bound and responsive policy and regulatory ecosystem,” he said.