“India is a major importer of edible oils. We spend to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore on edible oil imports. Of this, soya oil is a big chunk. If soya GM crop is taken up on a large scale in India, its output and that of oil extracted from it would increase considerably and at some time exports may not be required,” said Pawar adding that he suspected that MNCs that would be hit hard could be funding campaigns against GM soya crop in India. Similarly, he discounted opposition to Bt cotton saying this appeared only in media. “If Bt cotton crop was not good, why would 92% of cotton growers switch over to it of their own volition,” asked Pawar noting that cotton crop last tear was remarkable. He made these remarks at the VED council conference on Saturday evening as well as at the press conference here on Sunday before sharing the dais with BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a chemists’ conference.