Illegal GM Cotton Hybrids Spread Across India: New Study Flags Unapproved Herbicide-Tolerant Seeds | Explained
India is witnessing a rapid expansion of unauthorised genetically modified (GM) cotton hybrids, with a new field-based study estimating that nearly one-fourth to one-third of the country's cotton area is now cultivated using seeds containing unapproved GM traits.
The study, commissioned by the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) and the National Seed Association of India (NSAI), suggests that farmers are increasingly adopting illegal herbicide-tolerant (HT) and next-generation insect-resistant Bt cotton hybrids due to rising labour costs, persistent weed problems and declining effectiveness of older Bt technologies against pests like the pink bollworm.
The findings have reignited the debate over India's biotechnology regulations, biosafety approvals, seed quality enforcement and the future of GM crops.
Key Highlights
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What Does the New Study Reveal?
The field-based study was commissioned jointly by the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) and the National Seed Association of India (NSAI).
Researchers surveyed 984 farmers across 16 cotton-growing hotspot districts in:
Maharashtra
Telangana
Andhra Pradesh
Rajasthan
The study analysed 227 geo-tagged seed and leaf samples collected directly from farmers' fields.
The hotspot districts were selected based on:
Glyphosate sales trends
Farmer interactions
Seed market intelligence
The samples were tested using:
Lateral Flow (Dipstick) Assay
ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
These methods were used to identify the presence of genetically modified genes.
Major Findings of the Study
According to the study:
India's cotton area in 2025-26 stood at 114.8 lakh hectares.
Around 26.2–29 lakh hectares (24–30%) were estimated to be planted with unauthorised GM cotton hybrids.
These hybrids contain unapproved herbicide-tolerant (HT) and next-generation Bt genes.
The findings indicate that illegal GM cotton cultivation has expanded significantly despite the absence of regulatory approval.
Which GM Cotton Is Legally Allowed in India?
Currently, Bt Cotton remains the only genetically modified crop approved for commercial cultivation in India.
It was approved by the Government of India in 2002.
The approved Bt cotton contains only two insect-resistant genes:
Cry1Ac
Cry2Ab
Both genes are derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
These genes enable cotton plants to produce proteins toxic to major bollworm pests.
Which GM Traits Are Being Used Illegally?
The study found that farmers are increasingly planting hybrids containing two unapproved genes:
1. cp4-epsps Gene
This gene provides tolerance to glyphosate herbicide.
It originates from another soil bacterium called Agrobacterium.
Cotton carrying this gene can survive glyphosate spraying while weeds are destroyed.
The Indian government has not approved this trait for commercial cultivation.
2. Vip3A Gene
The Vip3A gene is another insect-resistant Bt gene.
Unlike Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab, Vip3A provides protection against a broader range of bollworm larvae, particularly the pink bollworm.
It has also not received regulatory approval in India.
Herbicide-Tolerant Cotton Is Widespread
The study found the cp4-epsps herbicide-tolerant gene in:
State | Positive Samples |
Telangana | 88.64% |
Maharashtra | 70.92% |
Andhra Pradesh | 62.86% |
Rajasthan | 57.14% |
Overall, 72.69% of tested field samples contained the herbicide-tolerant gene.
This suggests widespread adoption despite the absence of official approval.
Why Are Farmers Using Illegal HT Cotton?
Researchers say the biggest reason is economics.
Manual weeding has become increasingly expensive because of:
Labour shortages
Rising agricultural wages
Larger farm sizes
Cost Comparison
Manual Weeding
₹12,000–15,000 per acre
Glyphosate-based Weed Control
Only ₹750–850 per acre
Usually requires 2–3 sprays per season
For many farmers, HT cotton significantly reduces production costs.
Sales Trends Support the Findings
The study also points to changing seed market trends.
Sales of approved Bt cotton seed packets declined from:
596 lakh packets (2022-23)
to 463 lakh packets (2025-26)
At the same time,
India's glyphosate imports increased by 29%
from
27,721 kilolitres (2024-25)
to
35,642 kilolitres (2025-26)
This increase supports the conclusion that herbicide-tolerant cotton is becoming more widely used.
Illegal GM Cotton Seed Market Expands
According to the study,
illegal HTBt cotton seed sales increased from
35 lakh packets (2017-18)
to
82–88 lakh packets (2025-26)
At an average price of ₹1,000 per packet, the market is now worth approximately
₹820–880 crore.
Why Is Vip3A Becoming Popular?
Researchers found that
53.74%
of sampled fields tested positive for the Vip3A gene.
The main reason is the growing problem of pink bollworm resistance.
Earlier Bt cotton hybrids were highly effective.
However, after years of continuous cultivation, the pest has evolved resistance.
Farmers therefore prefer newer hybrids carrying Vip3A because they offer improved insect protection.
Why Has Pink Bollworm Become Resistant?
Pink bollworm is different from many other cotton pests.
It is a monophagous insect, meaning it feeds almost exclusively on cotton.
Because it spends every generation feeding on Bt cotton, resistant individuals gradually survive and reproduce.
Over time, resistant populations become dominant.
Its short life cycle of 25–35 days allows 3–4 generations during one cotton-growing season, accelerating resistance development.
Scientific studies have shown resistance to Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab toxins emerging around 2014, nearly twelve years after Bt cotton's commercial introduction.
What Is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide widely used across the world to control weeds.
Normally, glyphosate cannot be sprayed over cotton because it kills both weeds and cotton plants.
However, herbicide-tolerant cotton containing the cp4-epsps gene survives glyphosate application while surrounding weeds die.
This makes weed management much easier.
Why Is the Spread of Illegal GM Cotton a Concern?
Experts say the rapid expansion of unapproved GM cotton raises several concerns.
Biosafety
The traits have not completed India's regulatory approval process.
Seed Quality
Illegal seeds may lack quality assurance.
Farmer Protection
Farmers purchasing illegal seeds have limited legal safeguards.
Environmental Risks
Long-term ecological impacts remain unassessed under Indian regulatory conditions.
Regulatory Oversight
The study suggests an organised illegal seed supply network is operating outside India's biosafety framework.
What Are the Ideal Conditions for Cotton Cultivation?
Cotton is a semi-xerophytic crop, meaning it grows best under warm and relatively dry conditions.
Temperature
Minimum for germination: 15°C
Ideal vegetative growth: 21–27°C
Can tolerate temperatures up to 43°C
Growth slows below 21°C
Climate
Warm days and cool nights during boll formation produce better fibre quality.
Soil
Cotton grows best in:
Well-drained black cotton soils
Alluvial soils
Mixed black-red soils
The crop is:
Semi-tolerant to salinity
Sensitive to waterlogging
Major Cotton-Growing States in India
According to the Ministry of Textiles, India's cotton belt is divided into three agro-climatic zones.
Northern Zone
Punjab
Haryana
Rajasthan
Central Zone
Gujarat
Maharashtra
Madhya Pradesh
Southern Zone
Telangana
Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka
India is unique because it cultivates all four cultivated cotton species:
Gossypium arboreum
Gossypium herbaceum
Gossypium hirsutum
Gossypium barbadense
What Is the Role of the Cotton Corporation of India?
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is the government's nodal agency for Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement.
Whenever market prices fall below MSP, CCI purchases seed cotton (kapas) from farmers to ensure price support.
The FSII–NSAI study suggests that unauthorised GM cotton hybrids are no longer confined to isolated pockets but have become a significant part of India's cotton economy. Farmers appear to be adopting herbicide-tolerant and next-generation Bt technologies primarily because they reduce production costs and improve pest management.
At the same time, the widespread cultivation of unapproved GM cotton raises important questions about biosafety, regulatory enforcement, seed quality and future biotechnology policy. As India balances farmer needs with scientific regulation, the findings are likely to influence discussions on the future of genetically modified crops in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the FSII–NSAI GM cotton study?
Answer. It is a field-based study commissioned by the Federation of Seed Industry of India and the National Seed Association of India to assess the spread of unauthorised GM cotton hybrids in India.
Q2. What percentage of India's cotton area has illegal GM hybrids?
Answer. The study estimates that 24–30% of India's cotton area in 2025–26 was planted with unauthorised GM cotton hybrids.
Q3. Which GM cotton is legally approved in India?
Answer. Only Bt cotton containing the Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab genes is approved for commercial cultivation.
Q4. What are cp4-epsps and Vip3A genes?
Answer. The cp4-epsps gene provides glyphosate herbicide tolerance, while Vip3A offers protection against a broader range of bollworm larvae. Neither trait is approved for commercial cultivation in India.
Q5. Why are farmers adopting herbicide-tolerant cotton?
Answer. Farmers use HT cotton because glyphosate-based weed control is much cheaper than manual weeding, helping reduce labour costs.
Q6. Why is pink bollworm becoming resistant to Bt cotton?
Answer. Pink bollworm feeds almost exclusively on cotton and has evolved resistance after prolonged exposure to Bt toxins, reducing the effectiveness of first-generation Bt cotton hybrids.
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