Orissa says no to Bt Brinjal

The Orissa agriculture minister Damodar Rout has thrown a spanner in the Centre's efforts to introduce Bt brinjal in the state.

Rout has stated that the state has no plans to go for Bt brinjal and his decision has been communicated to Jairam Ramesh, the Union minister for environment and forests. “We have sought the opinion of the seven brinjal producing states in the country and among these states Orissa and Bihar are opposed to the introduction of Bt brinjal on a commercial basis”, Ramesh said here a public consultative meeting on Bt brinjal.

It may be noted that tribal farmers of the state had staged a protest against the introduction of Bt brinjal on Saturday which coincided with Ramesh's visit to the city. Together, Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal account for nearly 60 per cent of the country's brinjal output.

Ramesh clarified that the Centre was in no hurry to go for commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal.

“The country has waited for seven years for introduction of Bt brinjal and we can wait for seven more years if the need arises. Bt brinjal will not be introduced in the country if the farmers are opposed to it”, he said.

He stated that Bt brinjal has raised concerns about human safety and farmers feel that the medicinal properties of home grown brinjal would no longer exist if it is replaced by Bt brinjal.