INDIA QUITE AHEAD IN BIOTECHNOLOGY: AJIT TELLS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
CENTRE TO MOUNT INFORMATION
CAMPAIGN AGAINST CULTIVATION OF RECENTLY APPROVED BT COTTON IN
NORTH INDIA
India is likely to develop transgenic
cotton within 3 years. This was stated by the Union Agriculture
Minister, Shri Ajit Singh while addressing a meeting of the Consultative
Committee attached to his Ministry here today. Indicating that
India is quite ahead in developing transgenic crops, the Minister
said that biotechnological research for the improvement of fruit
crops such as Mango, Banana, Citrus fruits, Grapes & Pineapple
is in its early stages of development. Shri Ajit Singh said that
Indian Agricultural scientists have recently isolated a gene part,
called promoter, from the tomato plant which could be used
in modified form for delaying fruit ripening. This technology,
he said, can be extended to a number of perishable fruits and
vegetables. "Besides proving to be economical and giving plant
uniformity in terms of ripening, it would also make fruits tastier
and enhance their nutrient content by allowing them to be on plants
for a longer time. In case of tuber crops, protocols have been
developed for in-vitro culture of cassava, sweet potato, taro,
yams and Chinese potato. In plantation crops, micropropagation
through tissue culture has been successful in coconut, oilpalm
and cashew", the Minister said.
The Minister said that extensive
and rigorous testing of each transgenic crop by the regulatory
agencies in India could ensure that these products are not released
unless they are proven bio-safe. Shri Ajit Singh said that as
an intelligent society we have the responsibility to rationalise
the risks based on scientific data and benefits to society and
then make sensible decisions. He emphasised that India with a
70% rural base has to provide greater emphasis to agricultural
biotechnology since the country has to enhance its farm productivity
per unit land, water and capital without harming the ecosystem.
The Minister announced that the Centre
is holding discussions with northern states like Punjab, Haryana
and Rajasthan and apprise them that the Bt.Cotton variety which
has been approved recently for southern and western India should
not be cultivated in these north Indian states. He also informed
the members that the Centre would mount a publicity campaign to
discourage farmers from cultivating these varieties in the northern
states. On the other hand, he informed the members that ICAR is
going to conduct trials on the Bt. Cotton variety, which is suitable
for North India, in several locations, and the results will be
known soon.
Participating in the debate members
pointed out that Government should propoerly handle the surplus
grain stock in the country so that people do not go hungry. Shri
Ajit Singh told them that a Committee of Chief Ministers and Union
Ministers has been formed by the Prime Minister to look into the
issues of food management and exports and this Committee is formulating
policies on these issues. One Member said that farmers from Punjab
are rushing to Maharashtra to buy Bt. Cotton seeds. She wanted
to know whether this Bt.cotton would work and urged upon the Government
to educate the farmers on this issue. She was informed that Government
will soon hold meetings with concerned states of North India and
educate farmers so that they do not cultivate the Bt. Cotton which
are not suitable for the agro primaric zones of northern India.
Members suggested that the country should apply advance technology
for encouraging productivity and focus on areas such as the Eastern
India where the productivity is low. Government should also create
markets for the farmers otherwise they would not be encouraged
to diversify, these members suggested. Those who participated
in the discussions included Smt. Preneet Kaur and S/Shri Bhartruhari
Mahtab, Chunni Lal Bhau Thakur, K.P. Singh Deo, Haribhai Chaudhary,
Devendra Singh Yadav and Mahboob Zahedi (all from Lok Sabha).
