THE Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) is seeking the government’s approval on the commercial propagation of Bt cotton, a variety that can withstand cotton bollworm pests.
Based on a public information sheet (PIS) applied by PhilFida to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) that was published on April 20, Bt cotton is deemed safe to human and animal health as well as to the environment.
PhilFIDA said if allowed, Bt cotton will be imported from India.
Bt cotton is known to have resistance to bollworm which can reduce or eliminate the use of insecticides and can lower cotton production cost.
The agency said some countries are into the commercial propagation of Bt cotton. These are the United States, India, China, Pakistan, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, South Africa, Myanmar, Sudan and the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Despite initial findings of Bt cotton’s safety, the BPI is inviting the public to submit comments on the proposed propagation of the crop in the country.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country produced 33.28 metric tons (MT) of cotton last year, up by 21 percent from 2021’s 27.46 MT.
