India has emerged as one of the fastest adopters of biotech crops, occupying the seventh slot among the 21 nations that have so far planted such crop varieties since their introduction a decade ago, said a latest study by a global agency engaged in technology transfer of biotech crops.

"India experienced the greatest proportional growth for any biotech crop globally in 2005, with biotech cotton production soaring by 160%," said the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) in its latest report, "Global Status on Commercial Biotech/Genetically Modified Crops: 2005".

Two-thirds, or 14 out of 21, of nations growing biotech crops achieved so-called "mega-country" status by planting 50,000 hectares or more in 2005. These included the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Paraguay, India, South Africa, Uruguay, Australia, Mexico, Romania, the Philippines and Spain.

The growth of biotech crops in developing countries was four times (23%) as rapid as industrialized countries (5%). About a million farmers planted Bt cotton in nine states last year, which was a threefold rise over ...

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