Biotech Bill expected in winter session

The central government has planned a push for cotton farmers on regulatory concerns. It also has financial help in mind.

It is to introduce the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill in Parliament’s winter session. Vilasrao Deshmukh, minister for science and technology, told the World Cotton Research Conference the performance of genetically modified (Bt) cotton in the past decade in yield, reduction of pesticide usage and increase in farm income were promising.

“However, the current regulatory system and its capacity to handle future challenges of safety assessment is limited. Therefore, the Government of India has taken a pro-active step, based on recommendations of various experts committees, to establish an independent and autonomous regulatory authority which is inclusive and transparent," he said.

Adding: "Besides, streamlining regulations on GM crops, there is a need to institutionalise a communication mechanism for improving public understanding and perception of bio-technologies. Our overall goal should be to enhance production from the current 30 million bales (a bale is 176 kg) to 100 million bales in a sustainable manner over the next two decades.

In his inaugural address, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, an ardent advocate of Bt cotton, asked Indian scientists to focus on indigenous cotton varieties, to give options for low-cost production and high yields of short-staple cotton. "The government will provide financial support to the sector and farmers for the development and usage of indigenous cotton varieties," he said.

The new Bt technologies for cotton were exciting, he said, but there were issues in harnessing benefits for the longest possible time and develop strategies to delay resistance development. He wanted scientists to learn from success stories across the globe, especially at how Brazil and China had increased their cotton yields. "We must learn from their science to ensure we develop technologies more specifically for the rain-fed regions of India, so that we join the ranks of Brazil (cotton yield of 1,500-2,000 kg per hectare), Australia, USA and China (1,000-1,500 kg per ha)," he said. By comparison, India’s average yield is less than 550 kg a ha.