Consumers in India can now make “informed choice” on whether they want to buy packaged food products that are genetically modified or contain genetically modified ingredients. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, in an extraordinary gazette notification, has made an amendment to make labelling of every package containing genetically modified food mandatory from January 1, 2013. The move will impact the imported GM foods that are flooding the markets. The notification published on June 5, 2012 says: “Every package containing the genetically modified food shall bear at the top of its principal display panel the words ‘GM.’”

The Maharashtra government is implementing a pilot project in eight districts of Vidarbha region to increase the per-acre yield of cotton while reducing its per-acre cultivation cost. The project, being undertaken in collaboration with the Central Institute of Cotton Research over 160 acres of land belonging to 160 farmers in this region, is adopting the Brazilian model of cotton cultivation where the per-acre density of cotton is double what it usually is in India. However, by promoting the Brazilian model which uses straight varieties of cotton and not the hybrid or Bt ones, the government appears to be doing a rethink over its policy of promoting Bt cotton, say experts.

Bt Cotton farmers have recorded a zero suicide figure in Karnataka. [...] These findings came out as part of a nationwide study titled ‘Socio-Economic impact assessment of Bt Cotton in India’, which was launched here on Wednesday. [...] “Key findings from this study showed a positive impact of Bt Cotton on the social and economical development of farmers in Karnataka and even nationally. The field survey showed that 100 per cent of farmers surveyed in Karnataka cultivated Bt Cotton and reaped substantial benefits with its adoption,” said Ajay Jakhar, Chairman of Bharat Krishak Samaj.

Adoption cannot be an indicator of success or desirability of a technology – pesticides have also been adopted in large quantities by Indian farmers but that by no means makes it a desirable or successful technology. Adoption of Bt cotton is actually an indicator of the failure of a similar technology – chemical pesticides. In this context, it has to be underlined that the science of pesticides and Bt crops is in fact similar. It is also striking that the same corporate entities which promote GM crops are also involved in promoting chemical pesticides!

To curb child trafficking from Rajasthan to Gujarat to provide labour for Bt cotton fields, the border districts in the state are set to start a child tracking system with the help of the education department. [...] Despite concerted efforts of the district administration and the police, the illegal practice continues.

[...] working in these fields is hazardous where adults and children are exposed to pesticides throughout the day for a period of 2-3 months. Children’s nimble fingers are used to carry out cross pollination of flowers during the season.

Soon Indian consumers will have the opportunity to know whether the packaged food that they are buying contains genetically modified organisms. But will that help? In India, where a majority of food is unprocessed and non-packaged, labeling on packaged food may hardly cover the huge populations’ right to choose. A gazette notification issued by the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution early this month says that every food package containing genetically modified food shall bear at the top of its principal display panel, the words ‘GM.’

in 2011, the environment ministry had imposed a condition that trials cannot be conducted without a no-objection certificate from state government concerned. With the new guideline in place, Bihar, Orissa, Karnataka and West Bengal have refused trials. The data shows that only Delhi, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab are allowing trials. [...] Meanwhile, eminent scientists including Deepak Pental, former vice-chancellor of Delhi University, has sought PM’s intervention to ensure field trials. Pental had received a major setback in March this year when the field trial of GM mustard was stalled by the Rajasthan government apparently under pressure from anti-GM NGOs.

Krishidhan Seeds, an agri-biotech and plant breeding company that develops commercial hybrid seeds for Indian agriculture market has announced the launch of ‘Praja’, a new variety of BT cotton seed that promises to help enhance productivity of cotton across the country. Praja is a Bollgard II variety of BT seed which has been specifically launched keeping in mind the needs of a large group of Indian farmers, a company statement said here. It is an insect resistant genetically modified seed having good tolerance towards major sucking pests and hence saves the plant protection expenses to a large extent.

G V Ramajaneyulu of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture says farmers growing Bt cotton are still committing suicide and that it is only the 35 per cent farmers growing the crop in irrigated areas who have written the Bt success story [...] CSD, on the other hand, says Bt cotton has helped improve farmers’ lives. It had recently carried out a study for farmers’ organisation Bharat Krishak Samaj, which showed that Bt cotton is a success in India. [...] the organisation’s methodology of recalling, under which participants are asked to recall their past experiences, adopted for the study was criticised by various participants, including planning commission member Abhijit Sen. Aruna Rodrigues, lead petitioner in a public interest case seeking moratorium on GM-testing in the country, also criticised the methodology. “This is one of the most unreliable method in market research and nobody accepts it.”

Come January and companies will have to specify that food products contain genetically modified ingredients. That’s because the government on Tuesday notified new rules that mandate that these packaged food products carry a “GM” tag. While the industry may be complaining about this, they have some reason to celebrate as the government has modified the Packaged Commodities Rules to factor in their concerns. To begin with, they have been permitted to sell products such as biscuits, soaps, tea and coffee sachets that cost anywhere between Re 1 and Rs 10.