|
MONSANTO PARTNER MAHYCO SEED COMPANY CONDUCTS BT RICE
FIELD TRIALS IN OPEN FARMERS FIELDS IN CENTER OF ORIGIN OF
RICE |
COMPANY HAS FLOUTED EVERY PRESCRIBED REGULATION AND CONDITION
LAID DOWN FOR FIELD TRIAL OF GM CROPS.
The planting of genetically engineered rice in Jharkhand is of
special concern since Jharkhand along with Orissa and
Chattisgarh in Eastern India, is considered the Center of
Origin, that is, the birthplace, of rice and the maximum
genetic diversity of rice is found here. Any genetic
contamination from foreign genes like the Bt gene can have
highly detrimental effects on the genetic diversity of rice
and this kind of contamination has the potential to cause
serious long term damage to rice germplasm, affecting the
future food security of large numbers of people.
Bt rice Field Trial details
Village Saparong
Block Ratu
Dist Ranchi
Crop Duration : 23 March to 11 August
2008
Rice hybrids belonging to Mahyco were
planted in coded form. The numbers were 316, 108, BD108,
107, 310, BD 310, 111, BD 303, 308, BD 109, BD 306, 205, 3031,
305, 206
Attached photographs were taken on 10
Sept. 2008
The Mahyco seed company, a partner of Monsanto corporation in
India, has been conducting field trials in Jharkhand,
flouting every prescribed regulation and condition laid down
for field trials of GM crops. Gene Campaign staff made
visits to the site of the Bt rice trial and spoke to the
farmers in Saparong to get details of how the trial was
conducted. The details are as follows:
1. Bt Rice hybrids belonging Mahyco seed company were
planted on approx 1 acre of upland ( top most fields)
Planting was done on 29 March 2008, the
crop was harvested on 11 August 2008. This is not the main
rice season in Jharkhand. The main paddy season is June to
December.
There are almost no rice pests at this
time, so it is not possible to test the efficacy of the Bt
induced resistance to pests.
2. Farmers had no idea what was
planted in the Trial Field, they had never heard of Bt
Rice of GM Rice. The company had told them nothing.
The Agriculture Department of the State
had no information about the proposed Bt rice trials.
3. Farmers in Saporong told Gene Campaign
staffers that Mahyco staff came to observe the trials and
sprayed the crop (farmers did not know with what )
4. There was no physical containment
or any kind of isolation of the Trial Field. No
containment of the crop was done, (mandated by law to prevent
mixing of seeds/grains from GM crop fields) , no fencing, no
netting of any kind was provided.
5. The Trial Field is located in the
midst of the agricultural area and is surrounded by farmers
fields on all sides. The boundaries of neighboring fields
are close together and it is impossible to prevent
contamination of rice in other fields . ( see fotos).
6. People walked regularly through
the trial fields to other fields, carrying material from
the trial fields to the fields around.
7. Since the trials were done on upland
fields, the water flowed from there to lower fields,
carrying soil, seeds etc to fields below.
8. The trails were supervised by just one
local farmer who was appointed as caretaker. Nobody
from the company came to supervise the harvest and disposal of
the crop residue.
Continue
...
| 
