Is the Economic Benefit of Bt Cotton Dying Away in China

Short run economic benefits of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton has been well documented in China, as well as in other countries where Bt cotton is planted. However, there are two general challenges facing Bt cotton growers and policy makers: the potential vulnerability of Bt crop to resistance adaptation by target pests, and the development of secondary pests. Consequently, the sustainability of benefits that Bt cotton had generated has become one of the most hotly debated topics among growers, policy makers and academics. This empirical study estimates the dynamic of the economic benefits of Bt cotton and answer whether it is dying away in China.