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Agriculture ministry gears up to denotify unwarranted cotton varieties
Arbind Gupta - Mumbai

The Union agriculture ministry has appointed a high level committee which will expedite the process of denotification of cotton varieties/hybrids in order to consolidate the existing pool, it is learnt. The committee is expected to look into the recommendations made some time back by the CAB sub committee towards restricting the number of varieties/hybrids in the country. According to ministry sources, the committee will also take into consideration private hybrids before making its final recommendation in this regard.

It may be noted that the CAB sub committee under the chairmanship of textile commissioner has recommended cultivation of 30 major varieties/hybrids in certain zones as per the agro-climatic condition. However, the committee had not taken into consideration private hybrids which account for more than 20 per cent of the total varieties/hybrids available at present. “Except Bunny and a few more private hybrids, the sub committee had not taken into account the majority of other hybrids released in the private sector. The agriculture ministry has also decided to take into account the private hybrids also before coming out with the list of denotification,” said a senior official with the ministry.

Currently there are more than 100 cotton varieties/hybrids and maintaining such a huge pool is not only difficult but quite impossible in the given condition. Proliferation of variety has resulted in admixing which has ultimately affected the quality of Indian cotton. “Admixing of varieties/hybrids is the menace for our cotton. This can only be prevented by reducing the number of varieties to a manageable level. In fact, less than 15 per cent varieties account for more than 80 per cent of the production,” observed Dr S Sreenivasan, director, Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (CIRCOT).

In its recommendation, the CAB sub committee had urged the denotification committee under the agriculture ministry to withdraw those varieties which have outlived their existence and hardly contributing to the overall production. According to experts, every hybrid after being in existence for more than 15 years should be taken into consideration for denotification. But in the past, the entire process of evaluation and withdrawl has been very slow. This along with release of varieties without the proper monitoring mechanism has added to the number of varieties considerably.

According to sub committee, zoning of area as per the agro climatic condition will go a long way in checking admixing. “In fact, only a few varieties with similar type of fibre parameter should be promoted. This will call for putting in place a mechanism that can regulate the entry of varieties into the release supply,” said Dr Sreenivasan.

Meanwhile, the ministry is finalising the process of amending the Seed Act in order to strengthen the variety monitoring system. There is also move to make the registration of seed varieties and hybrids mandatory.