Page 2 - Gm Mustard

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?

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

A welcome shift

GM crops will boost yields

GM mustard safe for food, feed use and cultivation, says govt

Says GM technology important for food security, import reduction

Any compelling reason for environmental release of GM Mustard? SC to Centre

Amid concerns over environmental contamination due to genetically modified crops, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre whether there was any compelling reason for the environmental release of GM Mustard failing which the country will be doomed. The top court said Indian farmers, unlike their western counterparts, are not literate and they do not understand about genes and mutations notwithstanding events like 'Krishi Melas' and 'Krishi Darshan' which is the ground reality. The Centre told the top court that opposition by activists, experts and scientists to GM crops is "ideological" rather than based on scientific rationale. On October 25, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Union environment ministry approved the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11 and the parental lines containing barnase, barstar and bar genes so that they can be used for developing new hybrids. A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna told

GM mustard unsustainable in India, SC told; arguments to continue today

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) had earlier this year cleared the proposal for commercial cultivation of the GM mustard

GM Mustard plants needs uprooting to avoid contamination: Campaigners to SC

The seeds of GM mustard have started germinating after their environmental release and before the plants start flowering in few weeks they must be uprooted to prevent the environment from getting irreversibly contaminated, campaigners against genetically modified crops told the Supreme Court on Wednesday. On October 25, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Union environment ministry approved the environment release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11 and the parental lines containing barnase, barstar and bar genes so that they can be used for developing new hybrids. A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for activist Aruna Rodrigues, that no one knows about the effect of environmental release of the Genetically Modified (GM) mustard, which has the potential of contaminating all mustard seeds in the country. "The only benefit claimed is that the technology will be used for developing new hybrids

Farmer groups demand end to GM mustard trials; write to PM Narendra Modi

Activists claims Centre misleading SC on GM mustard

Potential of GM mustard yield untested, says DRMR director P K Rai

As per the developer and some scientists, the GM mustard variety DMH-11 has a yield potential of 28-30 per cent increase over the most common mustard variant available in the country

GM mustard row: Supreme Court will only examine 'judicial aspects'

The next hearing will be on November 29

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 ...

Govt bats for GM mustard in SC: To make India self-sufficient in edible oil

The government said the present rate of edible oil consumption in India surpasses the domestic production rate and at present, India meets nearly 55-60% of its edible oil demand through imports

Opposition to GM crops based on unfounded fears: Centre tells Supreme Court

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that opposition to Genetically Modified (GM) crops is unfounded as India is already importing and consuming oil derived from it. In an affidavit filed before the top court, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) submitted the average prices of refined palm oil, soy oil and mustard oil are increasing continuously and India needs to be independent in oil production to meet the domestic consumption demand. The ministry told the apex court that mustard is the most important oil and seed meal crop of India, grown in around 8-9 million hectares of land and the approval for the "environmental" release of transgenic mustard hybrid, DMH-11, has been given after a long and exhaustive review process. "As India is importing and consuming oil derived from GM crops, opposition to such (technologies) based on unfounded fears will only hurt the farmers, consumers, and the industry," the affidavit said. The affidavit was filed in response to a plea agai

GM mustard approval after long, exhaustive process: Centre to SC

This comes after the court told the Centre on November 3 not to allow the planting of genetically modified (GM) mustard until the next hearing

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait says he will boycott trials of GM Mustard

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait here on Sunday said he will not allow trials of genetically modified (GM) Mustard proposed by the central government. Addressing the mahapanchayat of farmers near Ghungroo intersection of Jhalwa, Tikait said, "The Ministry of Science and Technology has approved the trial of GM mustard. Preparations are being made to conduct trials at two places, Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan. We will not allow the trial, neither in Uttar Pradesh nor in Rajasthan." The Bhartiya Kisan Union leader said that there was no reason why the GM Mustard should be allowed into the country after objections from scientists from several countries. "When something is banned in the whole world, we have reports of 400 scientists, we have bad results of BT cotton cultivation, then what is the need for the Indian government to allow the cultivation of GM mustard. Is there a shortage of mustard in the country?" he said. Tikait claimed there will not be a dearth of cr

Lobby to intensify protests against environmental release of GM mustard

Almost 200 activists gathered outside the Directorate of Mustard Research in Bharatpur (Rajasthan), calling for halting the approvals

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SC orders status quo on sowing of GM mustard; next hearing on Nov 10

The plea stated that the modified seeds can contaminate non-GM mustard crops and that the sowing of such seeds should be put on hold

GM mustard awaits a 'competent authority' as uncertainty surrounds

Uncertainty surrounds the second attempt to introduce the genetically modified oilseed

Supreme Court orders status quo on environmental release of GM mustard

The bench queried the Centre's counsel on the current status in connection with the environmental release of GM mustard