Calcutta University has been given a go-ahead to conduct field trials of GM rice at the Rice Research Station, Chinsurah. Experts, however, fear that the new variety might wipe out the 1200-odd existing rice varieties conserved at the rice station. [...] Agriculture expert Anshuman Das smelt a rat in the entire plan. ”I don’t find any need for such trials when we have a large number of leafy vegetables with high iron-content,” he said. ”We already have a number of rice varieties with high iron content, such as Halud Gati,” said agriculture scientist Anupam Paul.

Blaming Environment minister Jairam Ramesh's "predisposition due to politics" as the reason behind government's no to GM crops, a pro-biotech crops group led by farm leader Sharad Joshi today advocated allowing farmers to cultivate genetically modified agri produce. Joshi and others cited demonstrable benefits of Bt cotton in support of their pro-biotech crops argument. [...] The meet was organised by ABLE (Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises), the collective face of Indian Biotech Industry.

Insects expected to drop dead after feeding on genetically modified cotton plants have instead been found for the first time in India to be thriving and even successfully breeding on the plants. Government entomologists have detected natural bollworms — pests of cotton — capable of feeding, surviving and reproducing on commercial varieties of GM cotton, and spawning progeny that can also complete a full life cycle on the plants. [...] The UAS study observed survival and breeding of bollworms on both first-generation as well as a second-generation GM cotton.

Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has requested Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh to revoke the permission given for field trials of genetically-modified rubber in Kottayam. [...] Pointing out that agriculture is a state subject and that Kerala has every right to remain GM-free, Mullakkara said in his letter: ”It is of serious concern for Kerala that this is the first such trial in a tree crop anywhere in India and this is being permitted in a biodiversity-rich region”.

The proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority will comprise a five-member panel of experts who will have the final say in deciding the "safety and efficacy" issues of genetically-modified crops leaving no scope for political interference in this field. [...] "We hope to halve the time taken for product appraisals once the BRAI come into being," M K Bhan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology told reporters here. [...] Since various wings of the BRAI will require "extreme specialists" in regulation matters, the DBT has also proposed to set up a training school for those working with it.

After Bt brinjal, it is the genetically modified rice that has started facing heat from the farming community. Right in the backyard of Bangalore, a GM rice field trial is being carried out on one of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra farms. Local farmers on Wednesday destroyed the paddy grown on the farm and set fire to some stacks to show their resistance to GM rice. Farmers of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha have been opposing genetically modified crops for a long time and are demanding seed independence.

Karnataka may soon fall off the organic cotton map owing to shortage of non-Bt cotton seeds and contamination of traditional seeds. As a result, a major organic cotton belt such as H.D. Kote in Mysore district may very well be transformed into a Bt cotton area much to the chagrin of organic farmers, who are peeved over the non-availability of DCH-32, Varalakshmi , MCU, Surabhi and Jaidhar brands of non-Bt seeds.

Early this year, Bayer announced that it is pulling out its application for commercial approval of its genetically modified Liberty Link rice (LL62) in Brazil. Its action sent a signal that - with the numerous law suits it had to settle or pay in damages in the US for contaminating rice farms with its LL601 rice variety - GM rice, the herbicide resistant one in any case, might just be too controversial to be commercialised.

The cotton growers of Vidarbha, who are suffering immensely due to the prevailing agrarian crisis, staged candlelight protests ahead of US President Barack Obama's India visit on Friday. The protests, held under the banner of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti — a pressure group which has been documenting distressed farmers' suicides — sought to draw his attention to the plight of the region's agriculture sector caused by 'American policies'.

Farmers all over Vidarbha in eastern Maharashtra will stage candle-light protests on the eve of US President Barack Obama’s visit Friday, seeking to draw his attention to the plight of agriculture sector in the region, an official said. The US policy of providing huge subsidies to cotton farmers in America has triggered over 216,000 farmland suicides in India, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishor Tiwari said in a statement here Thursday.