A. Introduction

In 2001/02, Indonesia grew 22,000 hectares of cotton with an average lint yield of 386 kg/hectare and a national production of 9,000 MT. Indonesia can only meet about 2% of its significant consumption of 525,000 MT of cotton from domestic production and has to import the balance of 98% at significant cost of around $500 million (ICAC 2002a).

B. Adoption of Bt Cotton

One of the major cotton-growing provinces of Indonesia is South Sulawesi, which produces about one-third of the cotton grown in Indonesia. The local varieties suffer from heavy infestations of lepidopteran pests and require up to 12 applications of insecticide per season, which is hazardous to producers and the environment. Following testing in containment facilities and multilocational field trials, the Indonesian government approved Bt cotton for commercial production in South Sulawesi in 2001; approximately 4,000 hectares of Bt cotton were planted and government officials and farmers were encouraged with the results (Manwan and Subagyo 2002, ISAAA 2002e).

Information from Indonesia confirms that Bt cotton has provided effective control of the major cotton pests, resulting in significant increases in yield, decrease in insecticide use (Table 52), and has contributed to higher incomes and profits for farmers. In 2001, Bt cotton with the Cry 1 A(c) gene yielded 30% more than the best local varieties and required only 0 to 3 applications of insecticide compared with 9 to 12 for local varieties. Cotton farmers in Indonesia normally spend 60% of their production costs on insect pest control and the saving in insecticides and higher yields have increased farmers’ income significantly.

C. Highlights