30% edible oil consumption in a year from GM sources, say experts

Pro and GM groups slug it out ahead of SC hearing on GM mustard case tomorrow

Around 30 per cent of India’s estimated annual consumption of edible oil comes from sources, which are directly or indirectly produced from genetically-modified (GM) crops.

These include both imported oils and domestically-produced cotton seed oil, bulk of which are produced from GM cotton, trade and industry sources said.

The import of GM edible oils is allowed without the stringent labelling rules as mandated for all other forms of GM foods imported into India. This is due to blanket approval for edible oil imports in bulk.

Even soymeal, which was imported into India in the last few years, has largely come from GM sources for which approvals were also granted, the industry said.

Explaining the math, a senior industry official said that India’s average annual consumption of edible oils is around 23 million tonnes. Of this, 10-11 million tonnes comes from domestic sources which are largely GM-free, except for cotton seed oil, whose production is around 1.0-1.1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).

Bulk of the imported edible oils — roughly around 8 MTPA — is palm oil, which is fully GM-free.

But, the remaining imported edible oils, which are soyoil and sunflower oil, come largely from seed produced using the GM technology.

“So, it can be said that out of the total annual domestic edible oil consumption of around 23 million tonnes, roughly 5-7 million tonnes is from GM sources,” said BV Mehta, director general of Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA).

Meanwhile, a group of anti-GM doctors and agriculture scientists have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately stop the approval of GM mustard.

The doctors said that a herbicide-tolerant crop will expose consumers and farmers to a toxic herbicide with serious long-term health implications.

The scientists are of the opinion that GM mustard is nothing but a strategic move to spoil our indigenous resources of fertile soils containing useful microorganisms. It is paralysing the valuable farming resource used to bring self-sufficiency in food, they felt.

The pro-GM scientists, in a separate statement, said that the Supreme Court must not turn indifferent to the most obvious and compelling reasons for the release of GM mustard.

“The case on GM crops is one of the longest-pending cases in the Supreme Court. It serves the purpose of those who are against technology, choice and innovative practices in Indian agriculture,” said CD Mayee, president of South Asia Biotechnology Centre, Jodhpur (Rajasthan).