‘Unaware’ farmers unable to reap benefits
Low-quality BT cotton seed variety adds to their woes.
LAHORE:
Lack of awareness has always been a core issue for farmers, desperately looking to improve yield and their margins.
Modern techniques, which are continuously being introduced with research in agriculture, still elude Pakistani farmers. The same case is observed when it comes to the usage of genetically modified (GM) seeds.
It has been five years since BT cotton was commercialised in Pakistan. It is widely sowed with biotech seeds with farmers unhesitant in adoption due to its higher per-acre yield as well as its higher immunity to leaf viruses.
However, the lack of a quality check mechanism means several companies sell BT cotton seeds but not all of them put a price on its quality.
While the perception was that such seeds would result in a higher yield, some farmers continue to lament lower productivity despite the use of pesticides. In addition, complaints of leaf virus attack persist.
“Unfortunately, we’re facing the same issue for which BT cotton seeds were being used in the first place,” said Dr Zafar Hayat, director at the Farmers Associates Pakistan. “Substandard BT cotton seed varieties means that a pest attack occurs.”
BT cotton reduces cost, while ensuring better quality. A typical, small- to medium-scale farmer saw his per-acre cost decrease between Rs3,000 to Rs4,000. But the lack of certified BT cotton varieties resulted in higher cost that has spiked between Rs8,000 to Rs9,000 per acre, Hayat added.
The total cotton area that can see its cultivation is around 3.2 million hectares. Around 2.8 million hectares is the area in which BT cotton was used in 2013, translating into an adoption of 86%, said a report by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA).
A year later, adoption has increased to 90%. However, Pakistan’s total cotton production hovers around 13 million bales per year due to the absence of a check on seed-producing companies. Such companies usually sell seed with a germination level of between 50-60%. Experts say that this level should be in the range of 80-90%.
“This is due to the low level of awareness among farmers that have up to 12.5 acres of land,” said Kisan Board Pakistan Vice-President Sarfaraz Ahmad Khan. “Farmers that are responsible for less than five acres of land are not at all aware of such varieties and use hybrid seeds. Others, who have more land, are stuck with uncertified seed varieties.”
The bright side
On the other hand, farmers who are aware of the benefits of certified BT cotton seeds are reaping the fruits.
Certified BT cotton seeds can be reused but it is the substandard variety and hybrid seeds that may not give a higher yield. A foreign company that operates in Pakistan has stated that it has no issue with farmers re-using its certified seeds. It is the quality issue – local companies selling substandard BT cotton seeds – that has been causing damage.
Monsanto, a company operational in every country where BT cotton is used, lamented the situation in Pakistan.
“In Pakistan, there is no protection for our technology and we have strong reservations on the illegal manipulation of our technology by the seed mafia,” said Muhammad Asim, Monsanto Pakistan’s Regulatory Affairs Lead.
“We need an enabling environment to operate in Pakistan for technology transfer, which, unfortunately, is not available. The issue of seed mafia’s manipulation only adds to the woes.
“With the current situation, we’re not interested in technology transfer until the government amends the seed act. Monsanto has no issues if farmers save the seed for the next crop or companies produce BT cotton seeds approved by the government.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2014.
Lack of awareness has always been a core issue for farmers, desperately looking to improve yield and their margins.
Modern techniques, which are continuously being introduced with research in agriculture, still elude Pakistani farmers. The same case is observed when it comes to the usage of genetically modified (GM) seeds.
It has been five years since BT cotton was commercialised in Pakistan. It is widely sowed with biotech seeds with farmers unhesitant in adoption due to its higher per-acre yield as well as its higher immunity to leaf viruses.
However, the lack of a quality check mechanism means several companies sell BT cotton seeds but not all of them put a price on its quality.
While the perception was that such seeds would result in a higher yield, some farmers continue to lament lower productivity despite the use of pesticides. In addition, complaints of leaf virus attack persist.
“Unfortunately, we’re facing the same issue for which BT cotton seeds were being used in the first place,” said Dr Zafar Hayat, director at the Farmers Associates Pakistan. “Substandard BT cotton seed varieties means that a pest attack occurs.”
BT cotton reduces cost, while ensuring better quality. A typical, small- to medium-scale farmer saw his per-acre cost decrease between Rs3,000 to Rs4,000. But the lack of certified BT cotton varieties resulted in higher cost that has spiked between Rs8,000 to Rs9,000 per acre, Hayat added.
The total cotton area that can see its cultivation is around 3.2 million hectares. Around 2.8 million hectares is the area in which BT cotton was used in 2013, translating into an adoption of 86%, said a report by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA).
A year later, adoption has increased to 90%. However, Pakistan’s total cotton production hovers around 13 million bales per year due to the absence of a check on seed-producing companies. Such companies usually sell seed with a germination level of between 50-60%. Experts say that this level should be in the range of 80-90%.
“This is due to the low level of awareness among farmers that have up to 12.5 acres of land,” said Kisan Board Pakistan Vice-President Sarfaraz Ahmad Khan. “Farmers that are responsible for less than five acres of land are not at all aware of such varieties and use hybrid seeds. Others, who have more land, are stuck with uncertified seed varieties.”
The bright side
On the other hand, farmers who are aware of the benefits of certified BT cotton seeds are reaping the fruits.
Certified BT cotton seeds can be reused but it is the substandard variety and hybrid seeds that may not give a higher yield. A foreign company that operates in Pakistan has stated that it has no issue with farmers re-using its certified seeds. It is the quality issue – local companies selling substandard BT cotton seeds – that has been causing damage.
Monsanto, a company operational in every country where BT cotton is used, lamented the situation in Pakistan.
“In Pakistan, there is no protection for our technology and we have strong reservations on the illegal manipulation of our technology by the seed mafia,” said Muhammad Asim, Monsanto Pakistan’s Regulatory Affairs Lead.
“We need an enabling environment to operate in Pakistan for technology transfer, which, unfortunately, is not available. The issue of seed mafia’s manipulation only adds to the woes.
“With the current situation, we’re not interested in technology transfer until the government amends the seed act. Monsanto has no issues if farmers save the seed for the next crop or companies produce BT cotton seeds approved by the government.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2014.