KARACHI, Sept 25: The government is exploring to acquire biotechnology from Chinese companies for developing virus-cum-pest-resistant genetically-modified cottonseeds, and the officials of the ministry of agriculture are said to be in negotiations with few such firms.

Also involved in negotiations with the agriculture ministry is an American multinational firm Monsanto, having its offices in Lahore.

A debate is already going on among officials of the agriculture ministry and provincial departments on enhancing cotton output and developing a virus-cum-pest resistant variety.

The textile industry wants cotton production to go up to 20 million bales in the next few years as domestic appetite is growing.

The issue of ongoing debate is whether to seek assistance from Western multinationals or Chinese companies that have adapted Western technology according to their needs and are capable of meeting requirements of Pakistan.

“We have already made a presentation to agriculture secretary,’’ Aamir Mahmood Mirza, the chief executive of Monsanto, informed Dawn from Lahore on Tuesday when asked to brief on the position of his company.

He said his company offers different arrangements for collaboration and cooperation for sale of seeds and transfer of technology.

Monsanto is in India for last more than five years after commercialisation of genetically- modified cottonseeds in 2002. Since then cotton production has gone up to 28 million bales from 17 million bales.

In Pakistan, two national research institutions—the National Institute of Bio- Genetic Technology and Centre of Excellence of Bio-Molecular Research -- are said to have developed some technology of genetically- modified seeds.

The officials want a blend of indigenous technology with foreign technology which should not cost much to farmers.

Indian farmers have to pay some royalty for genetically modified seeds.

The bio-techno cottonseeds are being smuggled into Pakistan either from India or were brought from Australia in the last few years.

These seeds are called BT seeds or ‘’Bhittai” in Sindh which came into prominence only last year when about one million bales of cotton were acquired.

This season, there is an expectation of reaping more than five million bales of BT cotton from Punjab and Sindh.

Farmers have multiplied the original lot of BT seeds which were obtained either from India or Australia, but experts say if in this multiplication process, seeds lose their purity, their pest-resistant capacity declines and their production falls.