The Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises has sought a special meeting of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) in letters to Mr Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of Stae in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Mr Sharad Pawar, Union Minister of Agriculture, as there are no meetings scheduled before the kharif season.Mr V.R. Kaundinya, Chairman of the association, is worried that the industry might lose out a full season if the committee failed to meet, discuss and approve field trials.

“Timely approvals are must to generate reliable data about efficacy, safety and agronomic performance of the product,” he said in two letters to the Union Ministers on Monday.

The committee, which works under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, was scheduled to meet on June 8, 2011. The meeting, however, was deferred to July 6 “without assigning any reasons”.

“There are several proposals for field trials of biotech crops in the ensuing kharif in various parts of the country. The industry is awaiting approvals for the same from GEAC in order to prepare for sowing in this season. Our applications are pending with them since April 2011,” he said in the letters.

The association argued that there was no meeting of the committee in April, and the agenda of field trials was not taken up in the May meeting. In May, the committee focussed on views expressed by non-governmental organisations on issues related to biotechnology in agriculture.

“Any further delay would lead to loss of one season, causing setback for biotech research in agriculture,” the association said, seeking intervention of the Government to convene a meeting immediately.

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