Ready to Germinate
Fact File
The Company: Agricultural biotech company, Metahelix.
The Opportunity: A Rs. 2,000 crore Indian market for cotton seeds
The Target: Capture 10 percent market share over next 3-5 years. That’s Rs. 200 crore in revenue based on today’s market and prices.
Strengths: It has the product — its own version of a genetically modified cotton seed, which is cheaper and offers added protection against pests.
The Challenge: Breaking into a market that is controlled by the world’s largest player in genetically modified seeds, Monsanto.
Bt. Coton Blues
Rapid adoption of genetically modified (GM) seeds has left many environmentalists aghast, as they questioned the long-term effects of GM crops on human health and the environment.
Suman Sahai, the convener of rural advocacy organisation Gene Campaign, says Bt. cotton was “shoved down everyone’s throats” even though there was no clear demand for it. “Not only do GM crops lead to massive buildup of resistance among pests, there is growing evidence that its toxins affect many other organisms than the ones they are targeted at.”
But many leading scientists are questioning that viewpoint. G. Padmanabhan, former director at IISc. Bangalore says, “In India both land and water are limited, so the time has come to make the plant the centre of our focus to ensure adequate yields. But then I see Mahesh Bhatt on TV campaigning against Bt. brinjal, and I realise there is no way we scientists can match that.”
Single Page View
technology monopoly should have challengers in the interest of further technology development and end cousumers.....so far mahesh bhatt going anti bt ...i guess they are intelligent tribe and if some competent scientists with credibility provides them scientific facts they are open enough to modernise there views........i wish metahlix and dhanya all the best......Bhupen
