Remei India supports organic cotton farmers in the current situation of an imminent pink bollworm infestation with environmentally sound protection measures

Infestation of conventional and genetically modified (BT) cotton with pink bollworm has reached alarming levels in India in recent weeks in many regions, such as the Indian state of Punjab, reports The Times of India (TOI).

The pink bollworm has become more resistant to genetically modified cotton varieties that were less threatened by infestation until a few years ago. The pest infestation is driving increased spraying in affected regions, which poses a high risk of accidents for farmers with inadequate protective clothing when applying the chemical pesticides.

Remei India enables farmers to produce organic cotton without toxins and accompanies farmers in the current situation of an impending pink bollworm infestation to control pests with natural means.

“At Remei India in Kasrawad, we have been practicing organic cotton production since the 1990s. We enable farmers to produce cotton without chemical pesticides and support them in the current situation of an impending pink bollworm infestation by understanding the life cycle of the pest, educating farmers, identifying beneficials and pests, providing training and advice, using biological pesticides and traps, and introducing new techniques to disrupt mating of the pest,” explains Vivek Rawal, CEO of Remei India.

Remei India Ltd. works participatively with about 3,000 organic cotton farmers in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.