He said that the domestic cotton industry used to thrive before it collapsed due to bollworm infestation.
The decision to start commercial cultivation of Bt cotton in the Philippines next year will revive the country’s domestic cotton and garment industry, according to Abraham Manalo, assistant professor at the National College of Public Administration and Governance under the University of the Philippines.
The initial areas for cultivation would be in central and northern Luzon, along with Northern Mindanao.
Though the government had earlier approved commercial cultivation of Bt cotton developed in China and India, Manalo said genetically-modified crop needed time to get acclimatised to the country’s tropical climate before large-scale cultivation starts.
The initial areas for cultivation would be in central and northern Luzon, along with Northern Mindanao, according to a domestic media report.
Manalo added that the flooding of second-hand apparel in the market would affect the domestic garment industry’s efforts to gain a foothold in the country.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
