‘More research needed before BT crops enter the food chain’

‘More research needed before BT crops enter the food chain’

Amrita Chaudhry

Posted online: Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 2258 hrs IST

Ludhiana, May 30
Amidst the din of aggressive campaigning for promotion of BT cotton in Punjab, scientists from Punjab Agricultural University have called for a more proactive role of the agriculture industry in trainer training, farmers’ training and more research on bio-transgenic crops before allowing them into the food chain.

These observations came to fore during a symposium held by the All India Crop Biotechnology Association, a body of India’s agriculture biotech companies. The Association’s executive director, R.K. Sinha said more Bt crops are on the cards apart from Bt cotton, including Bt brinjal, okra, cauliflower, cabbage and rice. To this, Dr R.K. Dhawan, a senior entomologist from PAU, said, “While there is no problem with Bt cotton for we are not eating cotton, I would suggest that before we allow entry of Bt cops in our food chains, their impact and side effects need to be researched more.”

Dr Dhawan added, “For this, we would call for a more proactive role of the industry that not only holds training programmers for farmers but also for trainers, that is the scientists. Apart from this, the industry, like the scientists, need to look into the future and realise that while with Bt cotton we have been able to control one pest effectively, the

crop has been hit by mealy bug, which is otherwise very easy to control.”

Assuring that this suggestion would be taken as a feedback to the industry, R.K. Sinha said, “Bio-transgenic crops help us achieve in a little time what we would actually achieve in a 100 years. And as far as side effects of bio-transgenic crops are concerned, we have no reported case till date, though such crops are being grown since the 90s in the US and since early 2000 in India.”

When asked as to why the biotech industry does not sponsor research in institutes like PAU, which it (the industry and its associations) otherwise use as a mouthpiece, just as done at today’s symposium, Sinha remarked, “At present, there is no tie-up as the Government of India has many programmes for promotion of biotechnology in universities. But future collaborations can be considered.”

On the issue of large-scale opposition to bio-transgenic crops by NGOs, Sinha said, “The Indian Parliament is conscious of the interests of the nation. The people sitting in the Parliament are the ones whom we elect and it is they who have given the green signal to BT crops.”

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‘More research needed before BT crops enter the food chain’ Amrita Chaudhry Posted online: Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 2258 hrs IST Ludhiana, May 30 Amidst the din of aggressive campaigning for promotion of BT cotton in Punjab, scientists from Punjab Agricultural University have called for a more proactive role of the agriculture industry in trainer training, farmers’ training and more research on bio-transgenic crops before allowing them into the food chain. These observations came to fore during a symposium held by the All India Crop Biotechnology Association, a body of India’s agriculture biotech companies. The Association’s executive director, R.K. Sinha said more Bt crops are on the cards apart from Bt cotton, including Bt brinjal, okra, cauliflower, cabbage and rice. To this, Dr R.K. Dhawan, a senior entomologist from PAU, said, “While there is no problem with Bt cotton for we are not eating cotton, I would suggest that before we allow entry of Bt cops in our food chains, their impact and side effects need to be researched more.” Dr Dhawan added, “For this, we would call for a more proactive role of the industry that not only holds training programmers for farmers but also for trainers, that is the scientists. Apart from this, the industry, like the scientists, need to look into the future and realise that while with Bt cotton we have been able to control one pest effectively, the crop has been hit by mealy bug, which is otherwise very easy to control.” Assuring that this suggestion would be taken as a feedback to the industry, R.K. Sinha said, “Bio-transgenic crops help us achieve in a little time what we would actually achieve in a 100 years. And as far as side effects of bio-transgenic crops are concerned, we have no reported case till date, though such crops are being grown since the 90s in the US and since early 2000 in India.” When asked as to why the biotech industry does not sponsor research in institutes like PAU, which it (the industry and its associations) otherwise use as a mouthpiece, just as done at today’s symposium, Sinha remarked, “At present, there is no tie-up as the Government of India has many programmes for promotion of biotechnology in universities. But future collaborations can be considered.” On the issue of large-scale opposition to bio-transgenic crops by NGOs, Sinha said, “The Indian Parliament is conscious of the interests of the nation. The people sitting in the Parliament are the ones whom we elect and it is they who have given the green signal to BT crops.”