The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) and the Cotton Research and Development Association (CRDA) have developed a new BT Cotton seed.

The Association has already given some 2,000 packets (each 450 gm) on a trial basis to farmers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and the quality and yield was good and farmers were also happy, they said.

SIMA has entered into agreement with Hyderabad-based Kaveri Seed Company, a sub-licensee firm of Mahyco-Monsonto, to co-market the new SIMA GKD 1 BT cotton, Seed, Association sources said.

Union Textiles Minister K Sambasiva Rao will release a new BT Cotton Seed, developed by Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA) Cotton here on January 18. Rao would also unveil a plaque for the proposed PSG-SIMA Textile Technical Training Institute at Nilambur, on the outskirts, on the day, the sources said.