The Hindu Business Line : Fallout of SC ruling: 49 new GM cotton strains cleared

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Fallout of SC ruling: 49 new GM cotton strains cleared

Harish Damodaran

Growing big
In 2006, 9.4 million acres was sown under GM cotton.
The domestic transgenic cotton seed market is now well over Rs 800 crore.

A file picutre of Bt.cotton

New Delhi May 17 Forty-nine. That's the total number of transgenic cotton hybrids cleared for commercial cultivation in a single day by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC).

This follows the Supreme Court's May 8 ruling, relaxing its ban on fresh approvals for commercial release of any genetically modified (GM) crop.

Taking a cue from the order, the GEAC in its meeting on May 11 — the minutes of which were made public only on Thursday — approved 49 new GM hybrids that farmers can plant in the forthcoming kharif season.

This is in addition to the 62 already approved since 2002 till the Supreme Court's ban imposed on September 22, 2006 (and now partially lifted).

The 49 hybrids cleared at one go by GEAC include six of Vibha Agrotech Ltd; five each of Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd and Nandi Seeds Ltd; four of DSCL's Bioseed Research India Ltd; and three each of J.K. Agri-Genetics Ltd, Ankur Seeds and Prabhat Agri Biotech Ltd.

Others whose transgenics received approval were: two each of Mahyco Seeds Ltd, Proagro Seed Company, Rasi Seeds, Ajeet Seeds, Pravardhan Seeds and Kaveri Seed Company; and one each of Nath Seeds, Namdhari Seeds, Zuari Seeds, Vikram Seeds, Navkar Hybrid Seeds, Ganga Kaveri Seeds and Amar Biotech Ltd.

In 2006, 9.4 million acres — some 42 per cent of the country's total cotton area — were brought under GM cotton. At one packet per acre and an average Rs 900 per packet, the domestic transgenic cotton seed market is now well over Rs 800 crore. The GEAC approval to the 49 new hybrids may further intensify competition and expand the market to the advantage of farmers.

Between 2002 and 2006, the country's cotton output has shot up from 86.24 lakh bales to 210.37 lakh bales, coinciding with the introduction of transgenics.

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