The Hindu Business Line : GEAC tightens norms for Bt cotton approval

EFFORTS to introduce competition in the domestic Bt cotton market have received a setback with the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) introducing changes in approval procedure.

The changes make the procedure stringent for Bt cotton hybrids, which are sourced from seeds that have not yet been notified by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research).

There are about 200 cotton hybrids available in the market from which about 6-10 private research hybrids and about 6-10 public research hybrids are notified by ICAR.

Of the 16 hybrids recently approved by the GEAC for commercialisation, only four are Bt cotton hybrids sourced from notified seeds. Rest are sourced from non-notified seeds. All the Bt cotton hybrids approved for commercialisation belong to companies that are licensees of US-based Monsanto. The seeds of these companies that include Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), Rasi Seeds Pvt Ltd and Ankur Seeds incorporate the cry1Ac gene, based on Bollgard, the specific gene construct patented by Monsanto.

Recently, however, a few companies, which are not Monsanto's licensees, had started approaching the GEAC for large-scale trial (LST) approvals for their Bt cotton seeds. But none of these companies have sourced their Bt cotton hybrids from ICAR notified hybrids.

In fact, some such companies such as JK Agri's JKCH-1947 Bt, NCEH-6R Bt' of Nath Seeds and 02-50 Vip of Syngenta Seedshad also been given LST approvals in the April 13 meeting of GEAC.

They were allowed to undertake seed production to an extent of 100 hectares for "minimum one year of LST" for the Northern zone only.

However, in early May, GEAC introduced two procedural changes for the non-notified Bt cotton hybrids at the LST stage, informed sources. First, the regulatory body asked companies to limit their extent of seed production during the first year to one acre only as compared to the earlier limit of 100 hectares (250 acres). In the second year, GEAC may give approval for seed production in about 20 acres. With this condition, companies will not be able to produce as much quantum of seeds as their counterparts who had received approvals earlier.

Second, instead of "minimum of one year of LST" required before giving a go ahead for commercialisation, GEAC had asked companies to conduct "minimum of two years of LST".

This decision was informed to companies around May 11. The RCGM's (Review Committee of Genetic Manipulation) Monitoring & Evaluation Committee (MEC) monitors the LST for GEAC. Again, of the 12 non-notified varieties that have received commercialisation approvals, nine have undergone one year LSTs.

This move prolongs the clearance process for the hybrids, which are at clearance stage by at least one year. In fact, quite a few Bt cotton hybrids sourced from non-notified seeds were cleared for commercialisation after one year of LST during the March 4, April 13 and May 3 GEAC meetings.

They include Mahyco's MRC 6304 Bt and MRC 6301 Bt; Rasi Seeds' RCH-134 Bt and RCH-317 Bt, for the Northern Zone.

They also include RCH 118 Bt and MRC 6301 Bt for Central Zone and RCH 368 Bt, MRC 6322 Bt and MRC 6918 Bt for the South Zone.

In a related move, on Friday, official sources said "the GEAC today again decided that companies can approach the body for LSTs after one year and GEAC would consider their case".

"While the basic Bt cotton technology has been approved, what is the need to reinvent the wheel?" ask industry experts.

The change was informed to players a few days ago. Thus, while those players who had received the LST approval in the preceding April 13 meeting continue to be governed by the previous policy, those whose cases were pending since April 13 meeting would be governed by more stringent laws.

However, a large number of pending applications which have been given a go ahead for LST with the new stringent measures include Monsanto licensees and non-licensees.

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