‘No Difference Between Bt, Non-Bt Cotton Output’

New Delhi, June 10: Experts have said that there is no difference in the performance of the Bt cotton and non-Bt cotton in the 2003 season. They expressed concern over the low budgetary outlay for agriculture and rural sector.

Addressing the national round table on ‘Farmers’ Issue and Agriculture Policies’, organised by the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) in Capital, tourism minister Renuka Chaudhary hit out hard at the unnecessary hype generated about the performance of Bt cotton.

Ms Chaudhary said “in Andhra Pradesh both Bt cotton and non-Bt cotton have equally performed well during 2003 season. There is unnecessary confusion all around.

She appealed to the experts to come foreword and demystify the confusion over Bt cotton issue.

The minister also hit out at the functioning of the crop insurance scheme and expressed concern over massive supplies of spurious seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, leading to large-scale damage to crops and huge losses to the farmers.

Former Union agriculture minister Chaturanan Mishra called for developing micro-economic indicators for assessing the poverty alliviation in the lower rungs of the society.

Several experts were unhappy over the meagre Budget allocation to agriculture. They demanded increase in the outlay for agriculture to not only improve the lot of the farmers but also make it an attractive profession.

Members of Parliament including Ravi Verma from Lakhimpur and Ilyas Azmi of Shahabad promised to raise the issue in Parliament as the budgetary allocation, static around Rs 7,000 crore over the years for plan expenditure, was quite meagre.