Bayer BioScience to increase hybrid cotton seed production

Hyderabad, Apr 18: Bayer BioScience Private Limited, the agricultural seeds business division of Bayer group, is poised to increase cotton seed production acreage, while maintaining the same level of commitment to child rights protection. The company, formerly known as Proagro Seed Company Pvt Ltd, is planning to expand its presence in the hybrid cotton seed market in the country.

Having captured a significant market share with its SurPass cotton seed hybrids in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, it has sold 3,00,000 packets of seeds at 450 gram each in 2006 and is expected to double the figure of hybrid cotton seed this year.

The company has planned to increase the acreage of hybrid cotton seed production from the current level of about 200 acre in 2006-07 upto about 1,000 acre in 2007-08. Incidentally, hybrid cotton seed production area in the country is estimated to be about 70,000 acre. The hybrids of the company are SurPass Dhanno and SurPass Minerva which have been consistently performing very well.

According to Mahesh Girdhar, head, Bayer BioScience, India, “Our high quality hybrids are popular with the farmers as they emerge well in the field and give high yields. For the ginners, the hybrids offer good lint percentage, seed turnout and efficiency.