Bt Calamity

We all read daily about farmer suicides in India. But have we ever thought what could the reason be? Here is why they are bound to take the ultimate step.

Bt Cotton accounts for one of the most cardinal causes for the growing deaths. Unlike usual cotton, Bt Cotton is grown from artificially developed seeds and ensures a much superior harvest with the minimal use of pesticides.

Companies selling the seeds claim that the use of Bt Cotton can increase the yield by 30-40 % and also decrease the use pesticides by a whopping 70%. As anticipated, these advantages come with a cost. The seeds cost roughly 16 times the cost of Non Bt Cotton seeds.

In no time, farmers across India became interested in these seeds and opted for them hoping to increase their profits. But the results were truly crestfallen.

New crops cant be grown from the seeds of artificially grown cotton

Farmers have to buy new seeds every season

The crop stills required almost the same amount of pesticides

As opposed to 50-60 bolls in the Non Bt brand, the Bt Cotton bore only 20-30 on an average

Most of these would fall off much earlier than the crop could be harvested

Use of these seeds degraded the soil, which affected other crops as well

Result, all hopes shattered! Harvests became their biggest nightmare.

Most farmers took loans for buying such costly seeds

Loans were made available on a staggering 35-40 % interest rate

Investing about Rs. 25000 (that too through loans) gave a return of only Rs. 2500 after harvesting

Other crops also affected

No way of returning the loan

Possible Reasons

Seeds were developed in the USA and suited their environment, soil and weather, not ours

No tests or experiments conducted to study the impact of artificial seeds on the soil

Government privatizing Agriculture Sector because of political gains through MNCs

MNCs don't bother about the impact of seeds on Indian Agricultural. They only think about selling off their product in the Indian market

Unawareness among farmers

Possible Solutions

Try to raise voice against privatization of agriculture sector

Spread awareness among farmers

I feel the first optional is very crucial. We must take a stand against the various injustices happening around us.

There is also a need to unite our farmers and raise voice against the deliberate murder of our Agiculture. No industrialization can sustain without a firm agricultural base!