Compulsory labelling for GM food packs from Jan 2013

Move to create awareness regarding GM foods among the people

Packs containing genetically modified food will come with 'GM' label from January 1, 2013.

"The government has made it mandatory to mention on every package, containing GM food, at the top of its principal display, the words 'GM'," Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K V Thomas said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.

The rule would be applicable with effect from January 1, 2013, he added.

Observing that the level of awareness about GM foods among people in the country is very low, Thomas said: "The reason for this is possibly that GM is a totally new invention and has not been widely experimented".

Earlier this month, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, headed by Basudev Acharia, had suggested that the government should "immediately" issue regulation for making labelling of all GM products so as to ensure that the consumer is able to make an informed choice.

Expressing concern about safety of GM crops, the panel had impressed upon re-evaluation of all research findings on safety of GM crops by an expert committee.

It had also recommended a "thorough probe" into the entire

Bt Brinjal issue, from approval stage to imposition of moratorium on its commercial cultivation.

With a moratorium on Bt Brinjal on Feburary 9, 2010, India does not produce any GM food. Whereas in non-foods category, the government has allowed commercial cultivation of Bt cotton since 2007.

At present, more than 90% of the area is under Bt cotton.