Biotech Updates

India Allows BT Cotton Seed Export to Pakistan

June 11, 2009

According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), the country's Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has approved the export of Bt cotton seeds for multi-location trials in neighboring Pakistan. Pakistan is the fourth largest cotton-producing country in the world and ranks behind countries that grow Bt cotton (China, the U.S. and India). The country produces around 13 million bales of cotton annually.

The PTI reported that GEAC has given the green light to Hyderabad-based Bayer Bio Sciences and Delhi-based Monsanto Holdings to export Bollgard II hybrid seeds to Karachi-based Bayer Crop Science and Monsanto Pakistan Agritech in Lahore, respectively. The export, however, is subject to rules put by the Pakistan National Biosafety Committee.

Read the original article at http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/FB73A3B33AB2A8A2652575CE004B6FC7?OpenDocument