GM Crops

GEAC and RCGM remain robust, science-driven regulatory bodies committed to biosafety and public interest; constructive dialogue after scientific review can effectively build trust and transparency

Under the trade deal negotiations, market access for agricultural products has been one of the key demands from the US

Economic think tank GTRI on Saturday cautioned that allowing genetically modified (GM) farm products from the US under the proposed trade pact would have implications for India as it may affect the country's agri exports to regions like the European Union. India and the US are negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to the European Union (EU), a key destination for Indian exporters. DDGS is a by-product made during ethanol production, usually from corn or other grains. The EU has strict GM labelling rules and strong consumer resistance to GM-linked products. Even though GM feed is permitted, many European buyers prefer fully GM-free supply chains. India's fragmented agri-logistics and lack of segregation infrastructure make

The Coalition for a GM-Free India has criticised the release of two genome-edited rice varieties, calling the move unscientific, risky, and a threat to seed sovereignty

To implement these measures, experts will need to submit written declarations outlining any "conflict of interest" when they join the committee

The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a split verdict on the validity of the Centre's 2022 decisions on the environmental release of mustard hybrid DMH-11 for seed production and testing. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol heard pleas challenging the October 18, 2022, decision of the GEAC -- the country's regulator for genetically modified organisms -- recommending environment release and the subsequent decision on October 25, approving the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11. After hearing the pleas, the bench gave a divergent opinion. The bench directed the issue to be placed before the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud for adjudication by the appropriate bench. However, both the judges were unanimous in directing the Centre to formulate a national policy on Genetically Modified (GM) crops. The bench directed that the environment ministry will undertake a consultation process with all the stakeholders and experts, preferably in four months

The agriculture ministry approved the domestic production of six more varieties of genetically modified corn, two of soybeans and one of cotton, and another two of gene-edited soybeans

The apex court is hearing public interest litigations (PILs) challenging the environment ministry's decision to approve the commercial cultivation of GM mustard

The coalition said that the Union of India presented a new paper with regard to the Centre of Origin of Brassica juncea being outside India

The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Centre about why reports of the court-appointed Technical Experts Committee (TEC) on biosafety of genetically modified (GM) Crops were not looked into by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, whether the GEAC or a sub-committee of experts ever considered the reports filed by TEC before the October 25, 2022 decision to approve the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11. The attorney general said being a statutory body, the GEAC is not supposed to go into these reports but has considered every relevant scientific finding before giving the go-ahead for the environmental release. Responding to the top government law officer's contention, Justice Nagarathna said, "The reason why we are asking this is because GEAC was not working in a vacuum. It is not unguided. These are the reports including a

SC to take a call on further trials on October 10

Canada said on Friday it will join a trade dispute panel that the United States requested over Mexico's proposed limits on imports of genetically modified corn. The US government asked that the dispute process be formally opened on June 2, after talks with the Mexican government failed to yield results. The panel of experts would have about half a year to study the complaint and release its findings. Trade sanctions could follow if Mexico is found to have violated the US-Mexico Canada free trade agreement. Mexico wants to ban GM corn for human consumption, and perhaps eventually ban it for animal feed as well, something that both its northern partners say would damage trade and violate USMCA requirements that any health or safety standards be based on scientific evidence. Canada shares the concerns of the US that Mexico's measures are not scientifically supported and have the potential to unnecessarily disrupt trade in the North American market, Canada's Ministry of Agriculture and

It said the government has been disingenuously arguing that DU's GM Mustard, which has used the bar-barnase-barstar technology in the name of pollination control, is not herbicide tolerant

The workshop highlighted that the introduction of GM crops in the aqua-feed sector would also help reduce the mounting pressure on fishmeal and fish oil and maintain a sustainable aquaculture industry

The Union Environment Ministry on Saturday rebutted the claims made by activists that statutory regulations were violated during the appraisal and approval of GM mustard in India, saying the product was conditionally cleared only after stakeholder consultation. The Coalition of GM-free India, a group of NGOs opposing genetically modified crops, had on Friday released a report alleging that no (independent) health expert ever participated in GM mustard appraisal. In a response issued on Saturday, the ministry said: "The Assessment of Food and Environmental Safety (AFES) report prepared by the sub-committee in 2016 with regard to the biosafety dossier of GM mustard was uploaded on the ministry's website for inviting comments by the public for a period of 30 days (from September 5 to October 5, 2016). "Further, the entire dossier was also made available for review by the public in the ministry's office for the same duration," it said. "The conditional environmental release of GM musta

Claims 15 instances of compromise of country's established regulatory regime in report released just days before Supreme Court again hears matter on GM crops

Indian Institutions engaged in developing GM seeds for 13 crops

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The govt has cleared the 'environmental release' of a genetically modified variety of mustard. The move has been challenged in the apex court. But exactly are they? And, what's the around them?

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