'GEAC has not allowed import of GM soy into India': Sharma

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Environment Ministry has not allowed import of live genetically modified (GM) soy seed into India, the government today said.

Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha that the GEAC has requested the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to take appropriate action and to issue suitable directives to the agencies concerned to not allow such imports.

"The GEAC has not allowed import of live genetically modified (GM) soy seed into India.

"The GEAC has requested the DGFT to take appropriate action, and to issue suitable directives to the agencies concerned not to allow import of GM soy seed or its products," he said in a written reply.

The 'Coalition for a GM-free India' had earlier urged the government to take strict action on illegal genetically modified (GM) soybean seeds being allegedly imported in India.

The coalition had said this was in violation of the Environmental Protection Act and the 2006 DGFT notification.

"We have been importing soy seeds from the USA and Ukraine, for instance. The US is known to have mostly GM soyabean (94 per cent) and Ukraine has had its soy exports been reported and cancelled by Russia for having GM contamination.

"Import of GM soybean seeds has not been approved in India," the coalition had told the GEAC and the DGFT in separate letters.