Amidst this seemingly unending monopolistic reign of Bt cotton, nearly 130 farmers owing allegiance to the District Cotton Growers’ Mutually Aided Cooperative Society and Rythu Rakshana Vedika have proved that there are ample number of indigenous varieties which are equally high-yielding and remunerative. These farmers took up cultivation of four to five local varieties, which were products of ‘public funded research’ done by institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University and achieved satisfactory results in terms of yield and quality. [...] Though it’s an uphill task, the RRV has decided to grow indigenous varieties in about 5,000 acres next year.