Monsanto eyes fortified foods to push India sales
Agri-biotech giant Monsanto, having successfully put an estimated 8.6 million acres under Bt cotton this year, is now looking at India for its second generation GM crop, including the next generation drought-stress resistant cotton and corn seeds.
By Prabha Jagannathan, TNN |
NEW DELHI:
While the corn seed is expected to be ready for commercial use by 2010, its cotton counterpart could take a little more time. Other key second-generation crops for which Monsanto may have plans for India include those pegged on some health benefits in fortified foods, edible oils and plant-made pharmaceuticals.
As part of its ongoing research, the company has begun exploring a biotechnology which will ring in Omega-3 fortified foods. Meanwhile, the company has received regulatory approval to import first generation Roundup Ready cotton seeds, as a follow up to Bollgard.
Simultaneously, Monsanto is working on developing Yieldgard corn, for which the regulatory process is under way. Monsanto scientific affairs director (Louisiana) Harvey Glick said grafting Omega-3 gene in vegetable seeds (it is now currently found mostly in fish and fish oil) would help increase the content of Omega-3 up to 20% in the seeds. India, with a huge consumption of vegetable edible oil, could be an ideal target region.
Some surveys have established that approximately 30% of parents use Omega-3 supplements as a therapy for autistic children. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in abundance in oily fish and are believed to have a significant protective effect against cardiovascular disease.
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