Signs of Rising Sales of Illegal Cotton Seeds in Telangana

15-Apr-2026 03:15 PM

Adilabad: In Telangana—South India's most prominent and the country's third-largest cotton-producing state—indications are once again emerging of a surge in the sales of seeds for an illegal variety of cotton known as HTBT. These are also referred to as Glyphosate-Tolerant (Glyphosic) cotton seeds.

According to agricultural experts, sales of HTBT cotton seeds are expected to rise by 25–30 percent this year compared to the previous season, despite a standing ban on its cultivation. Farmers in the region engage in its sowing clandestinely.

The border districts of Telangana have emerged as the primary hubs for this illicit cotton seed trade. Large consignments of these banned seeds make their way to other parts of Telangana via the districts of Adilabad, Nirmal, and Asifabad. These districts are situated along the border with Maharashtra.

Similarly, HTBT cotton seeds flow unimpeded from the Krishna, NTR, and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana's Khammam and Suryapet districts, as well as from the Raichur region of Karnataka into Telangana's Mahabubnagar district.

Although sporadic seizures and arrests do occur at the state borders, there is virtually no inspection or scrutiny at the farm level; consequently, farmers sow these seeds with impunity while the government remains a helpless spectator.