Gm Crops

SC gives spilt verdict on pleas challenging release of GM Mustard

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

China expands imports, planting approvals of additional gene-modified crops

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

Committed to safe use of GM crops with robust evaluation system: Govt to SC

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

Non-GM mustard yield only a little higher than GM mustard: Coalition

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

GM Mustard: Why reports of panel not considered by GEAC, SC asks Centre

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

In trials, genetically modified mustard's yield against peers under scanner

SC to take a call on further trials on October 10

Canada joins US in hearings against Mexico's proposed ban on GM corn

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

The government can't stop use of herbicide on GM crops, say activists

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

Experts deliberate on scope of genetically modified crops in aquaculture

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

Govt rebuts activists claims on violations in GM mustard appraisal

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

GM-free India alleges regulatory lapses in nod granted to DMH-11 mustard

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

GM mustard (DMH-11) may not solve India's edible oil import problem: ICAR

Indian Institutions engaged in developing GM seeds for 13 crops

TMS Ep328: GST Council meeting, vacation trends, IT performance, GM crops

What changed at last week's GST Council meeting? Are Indians more holiday-prone? Does Accenture's Q1 result spell more pain for IT firms? What are GM crops? All answers here

What is a genetically modified crop? And why is it important to India?

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?

Best of BS Opinion: GM crops will boost yields, power of 'obliquity' & more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

TMS Ep324: GM crop fears, Covid-19 in China, New-age stocks, national party

Should India abandon GM crop fears? Should India be worried about China's Covid-19 surge? Will fortune change for new-age stocks in 2023? What does it take to become a national party? Answers here

Is it time for India to abandon GMO crop fears?

The govt has said that adopting new farming tech, like GM crops, is key to food security for the country and cut import bill. Is it time for India to adopt genetically modified crops at a large scale?

Skewing the mustard field: The Yellow Revolution's revival needed

Claims that GM mustard will lead to increased yield are incorrect; we must focus on other solutions

Wheat acreage up nearly 10% as rabi sowing nears halfway, shows data

Usually wheat is sown in around 30.5 million hectares of which so far around 15.28 million is already sown

GM mustard sown in 6 field trial plots days before SC heard plea against it

ICAR's research centre DRMR has planted the genetically modified (GM) mustard hybrid DMH-11 in six field trial plots for evaluation of yields, days before a petition was filed in the top court challenging biotech regulator GEAC's decision to allow the DMH-11 for "environment release". The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), a regulatory body of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had recommended the environmental release of the DMH-11 seed for trials, demonstrations and seed productions under the supervision of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in a meeting on October 18. Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH-11) is a hybrid seed variety -- developed by the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants at the Delhi University -- that has stirred a storm between scientists, farmers and activists over its environmental release. The anti-GM group has knocked the doors of the Supreme Court. Speaking to PTI, Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard ...