The Press Trust of India recently reported that Indian farmers have increased by almost three times the number of acres on which they planted genetically modified (GM) cotton. Farmer's incomes have also increased as a result.

GM cotton acres totaled 8.6 million acres (~3.5 million hectares), up from 3.1 million acres (~1.2 million hectares) of GM Cotton in 2005, and farmers' incomes were raised to more than Rs 7,000 crores (~USD1.5 billion) from Rs 2,100 crores (~USD4.6 million), according Bipin Solanki, Deputy Managing Director of Mahyco Monsanto Bollgard. Production levels also increased to 2,150 kg up 1,375 from last year, he added.

During the 2006 growing season, 2.1 million farmers used GM cotton, with one million farmers trying GM cotton for the first time.

Solanki said that increased yields are a result of the GM technology in the cotton. Because the GM cotton is resistant to insect attacks, less cotton is destroyed by cotton's nemesis, the bollworm.