Indian Seed Companies Seek Exports to Pakistan

Several of the largest privately owned cotton seed companies in India are petitioning the government to allow them to export genetically modified Bt cotton seeds to neighboring Pakistan, which is currently performing tests to evaluate how well they would grow in that country. Currently, Pakistan has not sanctioned the use of Bt cotton for commercial cotton growing, but sources say approval is likely and probably will be granted soon.

The two countries have similar weather patterns and growing conditions, which makes it likely the seed will perform similarly whether it is planted in India or Pakistan. They also share many of the same pests, lending more credence to the belief that Bt cotton seeds will perform as well in Pakistan as they do in India, where they have lowered the cost of inputs significantly and increased yield as much as 200 percent.

Cotton and cotton-based products are a huge part of Pakistan’s economy, generating more than 3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and accounting for two-thirds of overall export revenue. A report conducted by the Pakistani government estimates that the country could, by taking several steps, improve its overall output to 20.7 million bales by 2015. That number would be reached by introducing Bt cotton seeds, increasing cotton farming by 25,000 acres per year, and achieving a 5 percent improvement in yield.