Opposition to BT Cotton Seed Pricing

25-Mar-2026 08:02 PM

New Delhi: Under the Cotton Seeds Price (Control) Order, 2015, it is the government's statutory obligation to determine the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for cotton seeds, even if no changes are ultimately made to it.

Consequently, the government is required to announce the price of BT cotton seeds every year. This time, too, the government is holding meetings with relevant stakeholders regarding this matter.

On the other hand, a farmers' organization is opposing the system of pricing BT cotton seeds. They argue that the price regulation of BT cotton seeds causes the price of non-GM cotton seeds to drop to a mere ₹300–400 per packet (450 grams).

Furthermore, since the efficacy of BT cotton seeds in protecting against pests and diseases—particularly the Pink Bollworm—has become questionable, there is no longer any need to fix their MRP.

It is noteworthy that the MRP for BT cotton seeds was first fixed in the year 2016. This step became necessary because companies were selling the seeds to farmers at exorbitantly high prices.