Mahyco Monsanto Biotech?s (MMB) new cotton hybrid, Roundup Ready Flex
(RRF), may be commercialised by 2010. While approvals have already been
granted for field trials which are being done in the south, the company
plans to undertake trials in a wider area from next year.
The RRF cotton hybrids have a greater weed control efficacy in
addition to increased flexibility of application at any time from the
seedling stage to seven days prior to harvest.

Meanwhile, the company has compiled its data for the adoption of its
Bollgard cotton (Bt cotton) in 2007. MMB deputy managing director Raj Ketkar
told ET that of the total cotton acreage in kharif 2007, Bollgard was
adopted on 63% of acreage at 14.4 million acres as against 8.7 million acres
in 2006. Bollgard is used to control bollworms which are a type of insect
which damages the crop.

Mr Ketkar said that with the use of Bt cotton the production has
almost doubled from an average 150 lakh bales in 2002 to around 300 lakh
bales in 2007. The yields have also gone up from 300 kg per hectare to 500
kg. For the coming year, the company plans to aggressively market its second
generation technology - Bollgard II.

Mr Ketkar said that the company has secured approvals for Bollgard II
in 2006 and in 2007, 1.2 million acres was also covered under this crop.
Bollgard provides protection from two insects - Bollworm and Spodoptera. ?We
expect the acreage under Bollgard to go up by 15-20% in 2008,? Mr Ketkar
said.

East India Cotton Association president K F Jhunjhunwala said the
country is likely to produce over 310 lakh bales of cotton in 2007-08 and
that more than 60% of acreage has been covered during this current year
under Bt cotton. Mr Jhunjhunwala also expects the acreage under Bt cotton to
go up to 75% next year.

While domestic cotton production is on the upswing, there is expected
to be a shortage in cotton production globally due to a shift from cotton to
other remunerative crops like wheat and corn.

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has predicted a
global cotton yield of 25.41 million tonnes in 2007-08, down 2.3% from
2006-2007 period. But the worldwide cotton consumption would reach 26.97
million tonnes, up 2.5%.


[economictimes.indiatimes.com]