The Hindu Business Line : Pre-import curbs on GM soya oil to go

The Union Government has decided to amend the rules for import of genetically-modified foods as a result of which processed foods including oil will not need the April 7 Exim Policy mandated pre-import clearance from Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

AMENDMENT

However, the amendment will be done through inter-ministerial consultation, a GEAC circular on Thursday said..

This was in addition to a clutch of approvals relating transgenic crops.

In other words, specifically, import of soyabean oil crushed out of GM-soyabean will no longer need pre-import clearance by GEAC, a procedure that was stipulated in the latest Exim Policy.

The reversal of the Centre's decision (not to enforce Rule 11) on imported processed foodstuffs comes in the light of recommendations made by the Swaminathan Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology and Mashelkar Committee on Recombinant Pharma.

Obviously, these recommendations were overlooked at the time of policy formulation.

GEAC ANNOUNCEMENT

However, in a typically bureaucratic fashion, the interim measure for import of soyabean oil announced by GEAC will continue to operate until the proposed amendment is carried out.

Clear intentions

How long the inter-ministerial consultation will take and when the Exim Policy will be amended remains to be seen.

But the intention of the Union Government seems to be clear - not to impose pre-import restriction on processed foods even if they are prepared out of GM-raw material.

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