Research into genetically modified crops continues for B.K. Sarmah and others working in the agricultural biotechnology department of the Assam Agricultural University, as the debate over the safety of such produce, like the BT brinjal, rages elsewhere. A product of the department, the weevil resistant chickpea, (but mah), is currently being tested in a university in America to determine how safe it is for human consumption. ”The tests for allergencities in human beings will be completed in the next six months to one year and then the bio-safety can be proved without doubt,” said Sarmah, the professor of the department.

Even as the government continues with moratorium on biotech crops, a leading seed company has contended that Bt brinjal hybrids have greater resistance to pests and significantly higher yield. This has been demonstrated after field tests in more than 50 locations that represent major brinjal growing regions in India during 2004 to 2008, Usha Barwale, Chief Technology Officer of leading private sector seed company Mahyco, told a team of visiting journalists.

The panellists deliberated on what was required for the 'Creation of a regulatory environment to foster innovation in the Indian biotechnology industry'. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairman and Managing Director, Biocon minced no words when she vented her frustration saying, "When Indian industry and researchers are raring to go, the Indian regulatory system is holding us back." She recounted how delay in approvals cause Biocon to destroy an investigational product, which is not just a financial loss but also resulted in a loss of time to market and lead time.

In a letter written to Ramesh, ABLE-AG, an industry body representing 14 leading agricultural biotechnology companies, drew attention of the minister towards pending approvals of field trial of biotech crops by GEAC. ”There was no meeting of GEAC in April, 2011 and field trial agenda for May meeting was not deliberated. We have learnt that GEAC would not meet in June, 2011 and thus the industry can’t begin the field experiments until decision in taken in the July meeting of the body”, the letter, a copy of which has been made available to media, said.

Trial plans for biotech version of crops like rice, cotton, corn, castor, sorghum and potato could be delayed since a crucial meeting of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee was postponed by a month from scheduled date of June 8. The meeting was expected to discuss permission of field trials and research for some biotech crops during the coming kharif season.

The top Bt cotton seed companies in Maharashtra have got show cause notice from the state agriculture department for not abiding by their supply plans. ”The seed companies had promised to make seeds available before the sowing season. We have started getting complaints from the dealers about severe delays in seed supplies. Mahyco, Nuziveedu, Rasi are the biggest cotton seed suppliers in Maharashtra, which have also been given show cause notices,” said SS Adsool, director agriculture

A team of Indian scientists has found that genetic modification will have a detrimental effect on the growth and development of plants. This is the first time that scientists have found that the Bt gene will trigger major problems in plants like stunted growth and sterility. Thus far, studies have centred on the toxicity of the Bt gene to animals and human beings.

Indian plant biotechnologists feel demoralised and displeased at the recent developments concerning genetically modified crops. Their dismay is chiefly because the indefinite moratorium on the release of genetically engineered Bt-brinjal has clouded the prospects for several other GM crops that are in the pipeline. [...] Their displeasure is largely because the present opposition to the GM technology is based chiefly on misconceived apprehensions and not on proven facts.

The International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics has released 735 highly-nutritious and drought-tolerant crop varieties developed using germplasm and breeding materials in 78 countries, including Andhra Pradesh in India, significantly contributing to increased income and better nutrition of resource-poor people in the dry land tropics. In Anantapur, where over 50 per cent of farm income comes from groundnut, the new variety ICGV 91114 from Icrisat increases yield by 23 per cent

Notwithstanding a rise in acreage, cotton yield in India has been declining for the past three years mainly on account of erratic weather conditions and increased usage of spurious Bacillus Thuringiensis seeds for the cotton cultivation in some parts of the country. According to data available with the Cotton Advisory Board, the cotton yield in India has dropped from 554 kg per hectare in 2007-08 to 524 kg, 498 kg, 475 kg in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively.