The private sector has become an important supplier of varietal technology in agriculture giving rise to concerns about competition in the seed market. This study examines the evolution in the structure of India's cotton seed market and factors that underlie the changes. It finds that the private sector has grown rapidly in the last decade. As the proprietary hybrid seed market has grown, more private players have come into the market, eating away at the share of market leaders. With Bt cotton, the seed industry encompasses a seed market as well as a technology market. To some extent, biosafety laws have protected the monopoly of the incumbent, which has received a significant first mover advantage. However, the market structure is not frozen because of diffusion from illegal seeds, competition from alternative gene suppliers and changing regulatory practices.
