Organic Seeds NEW DELHI: Genetically modified crops do not help increase theproduction level and therefore are not an effective solution tocheck inflation that has been triggered by demand-supply mismatch,according to experts. "There is no concrete evidence that GM crops increase production.They only control insects, which can well be done by some otherorganic methods," Kerala Biodiversity Board Chairman V S Vijayansaid. Speaking at a meeting on biotechnology and biosafety here today,Vijayan said apart from having health hazards, the GM seeds arealso expensive. "While BT cotton seeds cost about Rs 1,500 a kg, the normal cottonseeds are available at Rs 450 per kg," he said. Demanding stricter laws on food and biosafety, experts asked thegovernment to be vigilant on claims made by companies as itconcerns the farming community. "The biosafety laws have also been diluted. While geneticengineering is a process, which impacts the metabolism andphysiology of the whole organism, the transgene has been defined asan event, separating it from its interactions with the organism inan amendment in June 2006," said Vandana Shiva of Navdanya, an NGOpromoting organic cultivation. She said, "In September 2007 the government had excludedgenetically engineered food from the ambit of biosafety laws." Shiva deplored a government's proposal to set up NationalBiotechnology Regulatory Authority saying the move is aimed atmarginalising the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, which isthe the nodal agency for regulating the safety of GM crops. GEACalso certifies GM seeds for commercialisation. Experts demanded that all steps at deregulating food and biosafetynorms be discouraged. They called for a ban on BT trials in theabsence of professional and credible supervision.
- 0 ratings
