Maharashtra has made it mandatory for original seed producing and marketing companies to sell only one variety of Bt cotton seed with one brand name. This is an attempt to tighten vigil over Bt cotton varieties being sold in the market under different brand names. Bt cotton seeds of varieties un-approved by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) were being sold in the market. Further, there were instances in which one variety of Bt cotton seed was being sold using different brand names.

After a review, the state has allowed only 370 varieties of 42 companies to be sold in the kharif 2018 season. As much as 98 per cent of the cotton area in Maharashtra is under Bt cotton varieties. These Bt cotton varieties are approved by GEAC. Till last year, apart from the original producer company, co-marketing companies also used to sell these approved varieties of Bt cotton seeds.

From now on original producer company of seeds should print in bold letters the GEAC-approved name of a variety on its packet. The original producer company can print its own brand name also. However, for one variety, there should be only one brand name. Co-marketing companies also should use the packing and label used by the original producer company. As such, henceforth, each variety will be sold with only one brand name.