Work needed to share real information on GM crops: Bayer

HYDERABAD: There is a need to educate, communicate and spread more information about Genetically Modified crops in India to quell people's apprehensions about their safety, according to Bayer CropSciences CEO, Liam Condon.

"I think it is a very big topic, not just farmers but for the public, we simply have to do much more education about what are benefits, what are potential risks and simply be much more transparent in the discussion," he said here.

Liam was responding to opposition to GM crops in India and how farmers can be convinced by Bayer or other companies involved in research and development.

He was here to attend the ongoing World Agricultural Forum Congress 2013 and Agri-Tech Trade Fair.

Replying to a query about apprehensions over GM crops and their implications on health, he said real information needs to be disseminated among people.

"There is a lot of very clear scientific data available about safety which is not necessarily getting communicated to the general public. I think here we have to do much more work to transport the real information about GM crops," he said.

To another query, he said: "I think as I mentioned already today several times in the conference, GM is one important tool. We think as many tools as possible should be made available to growers so they can deal with the challenges of the future. So, we think it is an important tool and should be used as part of the overall tool box."

"India is a focus country for Bayer CropScience and the company is making substantial investments in the country, he added.

"We are actually investing quite substantially in our seeds business in India, particularly in seeds breeding. We just opened recently in October a new seed breeding site in Chandippa not far from here, which is I think one of the most modern breeding sites not only in India, but actually around the world. So, it is a good example of what we are concretely doing to invest," he said.