India, Oct. 12 -- Herbicide-tolerant cotton was grown on up to 30% of India's cotton acreage in 2025-26, an industry-backed study has estimated, as farmers seek cheaper ways to control weeds and the approved technology struggles with pest resistance. The South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC) study found unauthorised herbicide-tolerant Bt (HTBt) cotton was grown on an estimated 6.5-7.2 million acres in India during the 2025-26 kharif season, accounting for 24-30% of the country's cotton acreage.

The Federation of Seed Industry of India and the National Seed Association of India supported the field study, which estimated the informal seed market at Rs.820-880 crore. The findings point to growing farmer demand for technology that reduces w...