INDIA'S AP TO COMPENSATE CULTIVATORS OF BT COTTON CROPS

DATELINE: HYDERABAD, March 11
Asia Pulse March 11, 2003
Northern Territory Regional

Andhra Pradesh government Monday promised to compensate the farmers
whose Bt cotton crops failed even as the Opposition demanded that
Monsanto Corporation, which introduced the crop, be "blacklisted".

There have been reports that the first genetically engineered cotton
crop in Andhra Pradesh has failed. Voicing concern over extensive
losses suffered by farmers who opted for genetically modified cotton
seeds, introduced by multinational seed major Monsanto, the opposition
Congress members demanded that the company be blacklisted and
compensation be paid to farmers.

While admitting that Bt cotton crop's yield was 'lower than expected
resulting in reduced market value realisation', the state Agriculture
Minister V Shobhanadreshwar Rao said the genetically engineered seed
was only designed to fight 'Bollworm' pest which was the cause of
extensive crop damages in the past. As many as 6,929 farmers in 1,520
villages had raised the cotton crop last year spread over 9.341
hectares in the state. This followed approval for commercialisation of
Bt cotton seeds by the federal government.

"Certain farmers have complained of smaller Boll size and lesser
staple length for Bt cotton compared to other hybrids in the market,"
the Minister said, adding that the farmers would be 'informed about
the experience' gained during the current season.
....
more on the Bt cottonfailure in Andhra Pradesh - Star TV video
http://www.ndtv.com/template/templat...plate=Btcotton
MBt cotton proves a failure in Andhra Pradesh - article
http://www.sunnt.com/news/regional/a...ra.asp?id=7242

Marcus Williamson wrote in message
...

INDIA'S AP TO COMPENSATE CULTIVATORS OF BT COTTON CROPS

DATELINE: HYDERABAD, March 11
Asia Pulse March 11, 2003
Northern Territory Regional

Andhra Pradesh government Monday promised to compensate the farmers
whose Bt cotton crops failed even as the Opposition demanded that
Monsanto Corporation, which introduced the crop, be "blacklisted".

nice to see that someone has a government which supports agriculture.


--
Jim Webster

"The pasture of stupidity is unwholesome to mankind"

'Abd-ar-Rahman b. Muhammad b. Khaldun al-Hadrami'

"Jim Webster" wrote in message
...

Marcus Williamson wrote in message
...

INDIA'S AP TO COMPENSATE CULTIVATORS OF BT COTTON CROPS

DATELINE: HYDERABAD, March 11
Asia Pulse March 11, 2003
Northern Territory Regional

Andhra Pradesh government Monday promised to compensate the farmers
whose Bt cotton crops failed even as the Opposition demanded that
Monsanto Corporation, which introduced the crop, be "blacklisted".

nice to see that someone has a government which supports agriculture.


--
Jim Webster

"The pasture of stupidity is unwholesome to mankind"

'Abd-ar-Rahman b. Muhammad b. Khaldun al-Hadrami'



Would it be unduly cynical to suspect that a high proportion of their
electors make all or most of their living from agriculture?
--
May glorious Shamash make his face to shine upon you

Gilgamesh of Uruk
(Include Enkidu in the subject line to avoid the spam trap)

Gilgamesh wrote in message
...
"Jim Webster" wrote in message
...



Would it be unduly cynical to suspect that a high proportion of their
electors make all or most of their living from agriculture?
--

I merely compared them to the opposition who apparently don't give a
damn about peasants if it means they can make political capital and
upset the government.

I was talking comparatively, not in absolutes :-))


--
Jim Webster

"The pasture of stupidity is unwholesome to mankind"

'Abd-ar-Rahman b. Muhammad b. Khaldun al-Hadrami'


May glorious Shamash make his face to shine upon you

Gilgamesh of Uruk
(Include Enkidu in the subject line to avoid the spam trap)

Marcus Williamson wrote in
:


INDIA'S AP TO COMPENSATE CULTIVATORS OF BT COTTON CROPS

DATELINE: HYDERABAD, March 11
Asia Pulse March 11, 2003
Northern Territory Regional

Andhra Pradesh government Monday promised to compensate the farmers
whose Bt cotton crops failed even as the Opposition demanded that
Monsanto Corporation, which introduced the crop, be "blacklisted".

There have been reports that the first genetically engineered cotton
crop in Andhra Pradesh has failed. Voicing concern over extensive
losses suffered by farmers who opted for genetically modified cotton
seeds, introduced by multinational seed major Monsanto, the opposition
Congress members demanded that the company be blacklisted and
compensation be paid to farmers.

While admitting that Bt cotton crop's yield was 'lower than expected
resulting in reduced market value realisation', the state Agriculture
Minister V Shobhanadreshwar Rao said the genetically engineered seed
was only designed to fight 'Bollworm' pest which was the cause of
extensive crop damages in the past. As many as 6,929 farmers in 1,520
villages had raised the cotton crop last year spread over 9.341
hectares in the state. This followed approval for commercialisation of
Bt cotton seeds by the federal government.

"Certain farmers have complained of smaller Boll size and lesser
staple length for Bt cotton compared to other hybrids in the market,"
the Minister said, adding that the farmers would be 'informed about
the experience' gained during the current season.
...
more on the Bt cottonfailure in Andhra Pradesh - Star TV video
http://www.ndtv.com/template/templat...plate=Btcotton
MBt cotton proves a failure in Andhra Pradesh - article
http://www.sunnt.com/news/regional/a...ra.asp?id=7242




Hi,

the question for me is: what do they mean by "crops failed"? Does that
mean the later stated "Certain farmers have complained of smaller Boll
size and lesser staple length ..."? If so, I would not consider the crops
failed, but the (exaggerated) expectations were not met. Also, how does a
lower harvest compare to a lost harvest (due to the bollworm) or to the
use of pesticides? I am just talking about the costs, not the environment
- I can understand that the environment is one of the "luxuries" a poor
farmer will worry least. The high yield hybrid seeds mostly used nowadays
are often very susceptible to pests. This is known and often considered
the price for the high yield. So, one has to make the decision for
oneself: do I play safe and go for lower yield (and, in this case, lower
quality) by either using naturally resistant varieties (if available) or
GM crops - or do I take the risk and go for a higher, but chancy profit.
AFAIK, the farmers in AP have not been forced to use the GM cotton. But
it seems that they have not been informed very well. Didn't they do any
trials before planting on large areas? That sounds very strange to me.
So, who pushed or deceived them in using those seeds without trials (the
more, that this might have been a variety not well adapted to the local
conditions)?
For me, this "case" just smells of ploitics (in a negative sense) and
mismanagement. The problem here does not seem to be the GM crops per se,
but the apparently irresponsible forecasts for the harvest.
Unfortunately, this case will probably be (ab)used in the already
emotionally overcharged discussion about GM crops.
Just my 2 cents.
Cheers,
Klaus

"Dr. Klaus Eimert" wrote:

(...)
For me, this "case" just smells of ploitics (in a negative sense) and
mismanagement. The problem here does not seem to be the GM crops per se,
but the apparently irresponsible forecasts for the harvest.
Unfortunately, this case will probably be (ab)used in the already
emotionally overcharged discussion about GM crops.
Just my 2 cents.
Cheers,
Klaus

http://www.hindustantimes.com/2003/F...1,00020002.htm

There doesn't appear to be much science behind the failure claims.

There is a study from Februeary on 2001 crop results. It is all over the net but
you could start at:
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/env/2003/pd021103f.html

Dennis

"Dennis G." wrote in message
...
"Dr. Klaus Eimert" wrote:

(...)
For me, this "case" just smells of ploitics (in a negative sense) and
mismanagement. The problem here does not seem to be the GM crops per se,
but the apparently irresponsible forecasts for the harvest.
Unfortunately, this case will probably be (ab)used in the already
emotionally overcharged discussion about GM crops.
Just my 2 cents.
Cheers,
Klaus

http://www.hindustantimes.com/2003/F...1,00020002.htm

There doesn't appear to be much science behind the failure claims.

There is a study from Februeary on 2001 crop results. It is all over the
net but
you could start at:
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/env/2003/pd021103f.html

The failed cotton in India was due to dry weather. I have rasied cotton in
moisture limited condition all my life and many factors affect the yield in
these conditions that are not obvious. They boil down to two factors. The
first is if the drought come late in the season the varieties that load up
first and hold the most bolls early will do the best. The second if the
drought comes late or in the middle of the season the varieties that have
the optimum load of fruit for the weather will do the best because after a
certain point in the drought when it rains the cotton will through off all
the immature bolls and try to start over, a possess that takes about 6
weeks.

In dry summers cotton the suffers 80% damage by boll worms that cause the
cotton to abort the bolls before they start to draw resources from the pant
may fair much better than cotton that holds 75 or 80% of its fruit and
doesn't have the moisture to mature it.

It is very common in southwest Oklahoma for one days planting to make more
than any other day of the year. That the day that cotton has the most bolls
that it can hold when it rains with out throwing them off and have the most
time before the cool weather in the fall stops the development of the
cotton. The period may by as short as 4 days. Of course there is no way to
know what the correct day is in advance and it is usually late in the season
when there is no chance of replanting if it gets rained out.

Making judgments on cotton yields affected by drought is a fruitless
pursuit. That tell you little except how the cotton will perform in a
drought very much like the one you observed.

I know both farmers that from our land grip about the price but won't buy
anything but GM cotton seed. Both are planing substantial no till cotton
this year. Not only for the cost reductions but to stop erosion and build
organic matter in the soil. The farmer on my home place is very good on
legume rotations keeping about a third of the place in at any one time.

Gordon

(Gordon Couger) writes:

I know both farmers that from our land grip about the price but won't buy
anything but GM cotton seed. Both are planing substantial no till cotton
this year. Not only for the cost reductions but to stop erosion and build
organic matter in the soil. The farmer on my home place is very good on
legume rotations keeping about a third of the place in at any one time.

It sounds like your tenant is a good farmer. Take care of the land and
it will take care of you.

What kind of legumes does he plant? Up until they banned DDT, my dad
used to raise hairy vetch for seed (in the PNW). I always heard it was
used as a cover crop in the south, but never knew exactly how. After the
DDT ban, the germination dropped off too much to make it a viable crop.
It has an extended blossom period and needs a really persistent pesticide
to kill the fly that stings the blossom. It was a wonderful rotation
crop that put a lot of nitrogen and humus in the soil. The only way to
raise it now is by repeated spraying of insecticide throughout the
blossom phase, which lasts for weeks. It doesn't pay.

If they GM a strain of vetch with an insecticide that would kill the fly
larvae, it could return as a viable rotation crop.

--
http://home.teleport.com/~larryc

"Larry Caldwell" wrote in message
...
(Gordon Couger) writes:

I know both farmers that from our land grip about the price but won't
buy
anything but GM cotton seed. Both are planing substantial no till cotton
this year. Not only for the cost reductions but to stop erosion and
build
organic matter in the soil. The farmer on my home place is very good on
legume rotations keeping about a third of the place in at any one time.

It sounds like your tenant is a good farmer. Take care of the land and
it will take care of you.

What kind of legumes does he plant? Up until they banned DDT, my dad
used to raise hairy vetch for seed (in the PNW). I always heard it was
used as a cover crop in the south, but never knew exactly how. After the
DDT ban, the germination dropped off too much to make it a viable crop.
It has an extended blossom period and needs a really persistent pesticide
to kill the fly that stings the blossom. It was a wonderful rotation
crop that put a lot of nitrogen and humus in the soil. The only way to
raise it now is by repeated spraying of insecticide throughout the
blossom phase, which lasts for weeks. It doesn't pay.

If they GM a strain of vetch with an insecticide that would kill the fly
larvae, it could return as a viable rotation crop.

He plants alfalfa taking care of the ground is secondary to it being the
best cash crop he has. He is geared up to put up 4 x 4 x 8 foot bales and
the machinery and trucks to haul them and deliver them to diaries. We also
have the right kind of weather to seed alfalfa. It will make as much as 4
bushels an acre at 60 cents to $2.00 a pound for the newest certified
varieties.

He is also very good about taking care of the ground. It has to make him a
living the rest of his life. He is going no till on cotton this year and
that will help as well.

If I can convince my brother to drill enough little wells to put in a center
pivot and take dry weather out of the equation it should really do well. He
thinks we need more water than I do. It would be nice to have enough water
to make 4 bale cotton but enough to insure 1 bale cotton will work and if
you keep it half in cotton and half in hay you can make a lot of hay early
and 2 or 3 bale cotton with 250 GPM. The cotton won't need water before the
middle of June a the earliest and most of the time the first of July. You
can get 2 good cuttings of hay and have a third half way there by the time
you need water on the cotton.

I can barely remember when they used vetch as a cover crop and mixed it with
tame pasture. It makes a pretty bad weed on some ground down here if you let
it go to seed. It works well in a pasture mix but it is real expensive.

Can't you use a systemic insecticide like Cygon on Disyston to give long
term control. At the price it is down here it would be a real good crop or
do you need a contact insecticide?

There should be a BT protien that would kill them. I don't think vetch is
high on the list of things to do for them. There are lot of things that will
make more money ahead of you in line and at the rate we are approving things
it is way too slow.

Gordon