Eminent scientist P.M. Bhargava Friday called for a moratorium of at least 15 years on genetically modified (GM) crops in the country. [...] ”Only after extensive research should any GM product be considered as a commercial product in the country. Whenever a drug is to be launched, it requires 15 years of testing period. However, the drugs can still be recalled from the market. But the plants once released can’t be recalled,” he said.

The moratorium on commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal, the genetically-modified form of the vegetable, is not likely to end anytime soon. [...] An independent group comprising several senior scientists is likely to be set up to discuss what tests should be conducted and how they should be done, senior scientists present at the meeting have said.

A group of social organizations has come together and pledged to work towards keeping Himachal free of genetically modified crops. Deer Park Institute, Himalaya Bachao Samiti, Bharat Swabhiman Nyas and Lok Vigyan Kendra have teamed up to initiate this coalition that would try to garner the support of other organizations, public and decision makers for keeping Himachal GM-free.

”I’ve spent over (Rs)25-30 crore in the last seven years on research and regulatory approvals around our Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) genes, but with this price cap, I can’t negotiate appropriate licensing fees with seed companies and I can’t competitively price my seeds. So, we are bleeding,” said K.K. Narayanan, managing director of Metahelix Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, a Bangalore-based crop biotech firm.

The Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises - Special Interest Group on Agriculture Biotechnology [...] has expressed concern over the current Bt cotton seed price control and what it termed as indirect technology fee control by State Governments. The newly formed association which is focused on research and development of innovative agriculture biotechnology products for the benefit of farmers and consumers said since 2006, some State Governments have been consistently controlling and reducing MRP of seeds with Bt cotton technologies.

The petition from the Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education (FABE), addressed to you demanding a reversal of the moratorium on Bt Brinjal is a pernicious piece of advocacy. What it actually requests you is to vote out democracy and vote in corporate control.” says P.V. Satheesh, Director, Deccan Development Society in the opening lines of his letter to Shri Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister.

The findings, released last week (1 April), revealed that around 40 per cent of the farmers surveyed were willing to grow cash crops with GM seeds, but 80 per cent of them said they would not cultivate food crops from seeds containing a poison to control pests. The response was consistent across big and small farmers and those educated or uneducated.

The six-year-old Seeds Bill could be the next headache for the UPA government in Parliament. As the government plans to introduce the Bill in the Rajya Sabha this week, the Opposition, especially the Left parties, and several farmers’ organisations have ganged up against some of its provisions. The Left is also in touch with other political parties to put pressure on the government to remove certain ”anti-farmer” clauses in the Bill.

Research projects on at least 36 genetically modified crops including rice, okra, brinjal, potato, groundnut and tomato are under process, the government told the Lok Sabha today. “There is no ban on genetically modified (GM) agricultural products in the country. However, approval of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) is mandatory prior to production and sale of GM seeds,” Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said in a written reply.

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) will be going up against environment minister Jairam Ramesh, who was responsible for the decision to suspend cultivation of Bt brinjal after the panel had approved it. GEAC, a body of experts created by the government to approve genetically modified (GM) crops, is preparing to question much of the literature cited by Ramesh in his decision to impose the moratorium.