Indian Agricultural Economists Support GM Mustard Commercialization

Thirty three (33) agricultural economics experts wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister of India to express their strong support for the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) mustard because of its potential benefits. 

"The opponents to commercialization criticize the regulatory process. The integrity of the regulatory process is paramount and it should be protected at all costs. Products that meet the benchmarks laid down by a fair, transparent and rigorous regulatory process should be approved for commercialization," they stressed in the letter. The experts also explained that technology is not a magic bullet. Thus, complementary policies, cooperatives, and producer companies are needed for inclusive growth. To attain sustainable development, technologies such as biotechnology which conserve scarce resources are necessary.

"The University of Delhi developed GM mustard with financial support from the National Dairy Development Board and the Department of Biotechnology. GM mustard is an achievement of the Indian public sector. Its release will encourage and empower researchers in the public sector to bring in advanced quality traits in mustard as well as in other crops," they concluded.

Read the open letter published at Smart Indian Agriculture.