Panel report on GM crops lacks focus: Biotech companies

NEW DELHI: The Association of Biotech Led Enterprises-Agriculture Group (ABLE-AG), an association body of leading biotech companies in India, today said the report by the Supreme court appointed committee on GM crops lacks focus and a balanced scientific analysis.

The Supreme Court appointed five-member Technical Expert Committee on GM (genetically modified) crops has recommended a 10-year moratorium on all field trials of GM crops.

"We observe that there is a lack of focus and balanced scientific analysis in the report and there are numerous broad and sweeping recommendations regarding GMOs," the Association of Biotech Led Enterprises-Agriculture Group (ABLE-AG) said in a statement.

The recommendations are not supported by internationally accepted scientific standards already implemented in India today and many other parts of the world, it added.

"Additionally, the report seems to selectively relied upon the views of a limited group of scientists to support their recommendations while completely ignoring the views of the vast majority of scientists that do not," it said.

The association said that these recommendations, if implemented will have far reaching adverse impact that will deny Indian farmers the various benefits of the latest GMO technologies such as Bt cotton from which Indian farmers have reaped undisputed benefits.

The members of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister (consisting of top Indian scientists and academicians) have also deliberated upon the application of biotechnology in the area of agriculture, ABLE-AG said.

"They have accepted the importance of the same and made various positive recommendations for enabling the biotech sector to continue contributing to the agriculture sector in India," it added.

The Supreme Court appointed committee's recommendations, therefore, appears to be in direct conflict with the Scientific Advisory Committee's recommendations, it said.

In its interim report, the Technical Expert Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, has said that the present regulatory system and protocol for conducting the field trials was unsatisfactory and inadequate, requiring major changes, restructuring and strengthening.

"Based on the current overall status of food safety evaluation of Bt transgenics including the data on Bt Cotton and Bt Brinjal examined by the TEC and in accordance with the precautionary principle, the TEC recommends a 10-year moratorium on field trials of Bt transgenics in all food crops (those used directly for human consumption)," it has said.