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A somewhat garbled invitation
was sent out by the Department of Biotechnology calling for a Consultation on
Guidelines for Regulation of Genetic Modification in Crop Plants and Farm
Animals with Reference to Trade Security. Had I not earlier known the purpose of
this meeting, I would never have figured out what the consultation intended to
achieve.
The purpose as it happened, was to discuss a policy
for genetically engineering crops that India was exporting. The immediate
impetus for the meeting was the understandable nervousness of the Indian Rice
Exporters Association after contamination of US rice stocks with an unapproved
genetically engineered herbicide tolerant rice led to the total rejection of US
rice and entailed huge costs to recall stocks from the UK, Germany, Italy, New
Zealand and Japan where US rice had been exported.
The rice exporters wanted the Indian government to
have a policy and safeguards in place to protect rice exports from the country
from contamination with GE rice, since as one representative rather
imaginatively suggested, "anything to do with GM would be the kiss of death
"for India's rice exports.
The gentleman had a point. India exports not just
Basmati, but non-Basmati rice as well, largely to Europe and West Asia but also
to Africa, both regions that have rejected GE crops and foods. The total annual
value of India's rice export is approximately Rs.6000 crores. The importers of
Indian rice are countries where there is mounting opposition to GE foods.
Producing GE rice in India or even researching and testing it in the fields is
bound to result in the escape of GE rice.
The irresponsible and clumsy manner in which the Bt
rice field trials were conducted by the Mahyco Seed Company indicate that given
the shoddy implementation of GE technology in our country and the lack of
accountability on the parts of agencies and regulators, contamination from trial
plots and field sites is a certainty. The presence of GE rice in India, will
undoubtedly lead to contamination, jeopardizing rice exports to countries that
will not accept GE foods.
Soybean is the other crop which India exports which
qualifies as a special case for consideration. India is the only country in the
world now that is producing GE free soybean. Because of this status it has an
assured export market in countries like Japan and South Korea that are sensitive
about soybean as food and expressly seek GE free soya. In addition, companies
that use soybean meal in food, particularly baby foods and food for
convalescents, and which have given undertakings to produce GE free foods, are
buyers of GE free soybean. This is a captive market available only to India and
it can be expanded several times, creating a growing market for India's soybean
farmers many of who are to be found in the distress areas of Vidarbha. Instead
of offering inadequate doles, a proper policy introducing GE free, organic
soybean may help Vidarbha farmers find their feet and rebuild their agriculture
with self respect and dignity.
It is understood that the Review Committee on
Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) in the Department of Biotechnology has given
permission to conduct research on GE herbicide tolerant soybean. This is
extremely undesirable and should be stopped immediately. If India were to allow
the cultivation of GE soybean ,or even its research and field trials, it would
at once lose its assured export market. Becoming a GE soya producing nation, it
would have to compete for markets with gigantic producers like Brazil, USA and
Argentina, who are sitting on huge surpluses, unable to sell their produce
easily on the world market.
I have no idea whether there was any policy outcome
on GE crops and Indian trade interests from the DBT meeting. Both the soybean
people and the rice exporters present there held the same view, that genetic
engineering of crops in which India had trading interests, was undesirable. The
MS Swaminathan led Task Force on Agbiotechnology has made the recommendation
that the national policy on GE crops should seek the "economic well-being of
farm families, food security of the nation, health security of the consumer,
protection of the environment and the security of our national and
international trade".
Seeing the trend of sharply declining global markets for GE crops and foods, and
the rapidly burgeoning market for organic food (currently valued at US $50
billion), it would be wise for India to recognize its USP in agriculture and
develop the organic food sector, specially for exports.
— Suman Sahai
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