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Company Response

19 Feb 2012

Author:
Monsanto

Monsanto response to article linking farmers’ suicides in India to its genetically modified seeds

Farmer suicide in India is a tragic phenomenon that takes place for a variety of complex social and economic reasons. It is not a biotechnology issue, and these unfortunate circumstances long pre-date the introduction of biotech cotton in India in 2002. Farmers unable to repay loans and facing spiralling interest often see suicide as the only solution. It is unfortunate that certain groups continue to link farmer suicides with Bt cotton...Several experts from reputed institutions including International Food Policy Research Institute, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research and Indian Institute of Management have studied the farmer suicide issue and most agreed that indebtedness is one of the main factors. Other causes include repeated crop failures due to climatic conditions like untimely rain and unusually either heavy rain or drought.