New Delhi (PTI): The Environment Ministry has given the green signal for exporting BT cotton hybrid seeds for multilocational field trials in Pakistan for the first time.

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), an arm of the Environment Ministry, has given the green signal to Hyderabad-based Bayer Bio Sciences and Delhi-based Monsanto Monsanto Holdings Pvt Ltd to export Bt cotton BG II hybrid seeds to Karachi-based Bayer Crop Science Pvt. Ltd and Lahore based Monsanto Pakistan Agritech Pvt Ltd, respectively.

Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a live micro-organism that kills unwanted insects from forests and agriculture crops. Provided in the cotton seed, it boosts yield and protects the crop from most of the pest attacks.

BT cotton cultivation in Pakistan is gradually catching up as in India, where cotton production has increased to 30 million bales from 18 million bales annually.

The export of BT cotton hybrid seed is meant for trials in Pakistan, which is keen to increase its production, at present around 13 million bales, annually.

Both the companies intend to export for conducting multi-locational field trials in different agro-climatic zones in Pakistan.

However, the export is subject to the conditions set by the Pakistan National Biosafety Committee, the GEAC said in a recent meeting while giving nod.