Cotton crop problems - front page news 2.Bt cotton deaths - updates 3.Campaign against GM crops launched 4.Supreme Court orders restrictions on GM food imports 5.Mahyco denies sourcing seeds from university seed bank
NOTE: Depsite the constant claims by Monsanto-Mahyco that everything in India's GM cotton fields is lovely thanks to Bt cotton, there's a continual flow of information throwing such claims into question. (items 1 and 2)
"Blow to cotton crop with diseases" - front page news in Eenaadu
From Kavitha Kuruganti
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture
Yesterday Eenaadu, a leading telugu daily in Andhra Pradesh had a front page prominent story yesterday (21st October 2008) with the above headline. Given are some excerpts from this news report:
* Cotton farmers are in for a period of difficulties. Diseases are affecting cotton crop and the yields are declining.
* It is estimated that there would be a 40-50% decline in the cotton production estimated at 56 lakh bales this year.
* Mealy bug has spread extensively, along with tobacco caterpillar and wilting.
* Initially this season there were good rains and then there was a long dry spell. This was when the mealy bug attack started. Cropo in Adilabad, Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar and Nalgonda districts is expected to yield less. It appears that farmers will not be able to recover their investments.
* The cost of crop protection has increased a lot this year. Farmers who resorted to herbicides spent nearly two thousand rupees an acre on that front; further, at least six sprays of pesticides so far have cost them more than three thousand rupees an acre on an average.
Kavitha Kuruganti 
