Biotech Updates

India: Supreme Court Lifts Temporary Ban on Field Trials on GM Crops

May 11, 2007

The Supreme Court of India has lifted an eight-month temporary ban on field trials of genetically-modified food crops on 8th May 2007. With this judgment, farmers will have more choices of Bt cotton varieties suited for local agro-climatic conditions. The ruling will also allow resuming the approval of filed trials for various crops such as brinjal, mustard, rice, maize, potato, tomato, okra and groundnut.

Referring to the Supreme Court judgment on the field trials of GM crops, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr Namo Narayan Meena, said the entire research activities of the country which have been at a standstill will get momentum, and that the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) will be able to work speedily. Mr Meena assured the members of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) that along with treating agricultural biotechnology as a priority area for investments, priority will be given to proper risk assessment and to appropriate measures to mitigate its adverse impacts.

For more information visit http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=27636 or contact: Bhagirath Choudhary at b.choudhary@isaaa.org