A groundswell of Hindu nationalism has inspired resistance in India to foreign influence and large multinationals, such as Monsanto, says Reuters in describing corporate battle that has disrupted the country’s seed industry. Monsanto has withdrawn its application to sell a new generation of GE cotton seed in India, which recently became the largest cotton grower in the world.
The Agriculture Ministry has slashed the royalties that Monsanto is allowed to charge on seed in India and it has called for an antitrust investigation of the U.S. company. Both are steps that help India’s seed companies in competing with outside suppliers.
Other major seed companies, such as Bayer, Dow and Syngenta, are siding with Monsanto, said Reuters. They say India needs more transparency in how it regulates and licenses seed sales or there would be less incentive to invest in the country. The Monsanto cotton seed now sold in India is a decade old and becoming less effective against the destructive bollworm.