Farmers' Opinion on Cultivation of Bt Cotton in Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh

摘要

Perhaps no other agricultural technology in India has gathered so much of attention, as Bt cotton. The present study aimed at unearthing the opinion of the cotton farmers in a very important cotton growing district in Andhra Pradesh and the results indicate that, farmers having high socio-economic status had higher positive response towards cultivation of this crop due to their economic status. With majority of respondents undergone trainings coupled with contacts with different sources of information and participation in extension activities helped in gaining more information on new innovations in agriculture, which aids in adoption of these innovations. Majority farmers with medium market orientation also indicates their positive opinion towards cultivation of the crop anticipating more returns and reduced usage of pesticides as advertised by the companies. In the last seven years, farmers have observed both positive as well as negative functions of this Bt cotton. Positive being reduced sprays for bollworms, early pickings, and on the negative side, increasing incidence of sucking pests, appearance of new diseases, unavailability of the non Bt cotton hybrids in the market, mortality to livestock and skin allergies.