Can GM mustard achieve Atmanirbharta in edible oils? 

The field trials of GM mustard allowed by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee and subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court pending adequate scientific examination of information brings forth the debate about the role of modern technologies in addressing the pressing challenges of food security amidst climate change. 

India imports about sixty per cent of its edible oil requirement, making it the largest importer of edible oils. Several policy initiatives have addressed this issue of import dependence on edible oils. For instance, the National Edible Oil Mission aims to reduce import dependency and achieve self-reliance in the edible oil sector. 

Outlook 

Edible oil consumption in India is largely import driven. The major edible oil group includes RBD Palmolein as refined oil and CPO, CPO kernel, sunflower oil, and soybean oil degummed as crude oil. In the present scenario, the CAGR of per capita consumption is negative, while it may marginally reach 1.50 per cent in the expected scenario. However, the CAGR of the availability of edible oils can be increased from 1.50 per cent to 3.16 per cent. Therefore, to reduce import dependency, the area under production and productivity of edible oil crops need to be improved. 

Second, rapeseed-mustard contributes close to about 27 per cent of edible oil consumption in India. It is the second most important oilseed crop in India. As the demand growth for mustard seed has outpaced the supply growth rate, the market price of mustard seed has grown and historically been above its administered minimum support price. 

Third, to improve quality and promote consumer interests, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India banned the blending of mustard oil with other edible oils such as soyabean, rice bran, and palm oil. This is further expected to enhance the supply deficit of mustard, which necessitates the need to go beyond minimum support price and focus on supply augmentation measures through the increased area under cultivation and productivity of mustard cultivation. The productivity of mustard-rapeseed in India has historically lagged the global average resulting in India contributing only close to 8.5 per cent of global rapeseed-mustard production despite contributing to over 17 per cent of global acreage under rapeseed-mustard crops. 

Fourth, the seed quality in terms of germination percentage and viability is crucial in determining productivity.  

The productivity breakthrough in rice and wheat under the green revolution was largely fuelled by new dwarf varieties grown under appropriate agronomic practices. Given the ecological, market, and societal challenges faced by our farming community, there is always a strong case for using appropriate scientific techniques to achieve sustainable productivity enhancements.  

Fifth, as the multi-site scientific trials of the hybrid DMH11, have generated encouraging results of productivity enhancements up to 28-37 per cent, permitting its field trails can generate scientific evidence for undertaking informed future decisions. It can also help in fuelling further research and innovations for decreasing resource intensity and improving climate resilience for achieving sustainable food and nutritional security.  

Cautious optimism  

The optimism surrounding GM crops needs to be tempered, given the experience with Bt cotton. While the increased adoption of Bt cotton has improved cotton productivity, it also increased cultivation costs due to higher usage of irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides, etc. The increased risks and indebtedness of cotton farmers have resulted in several cases of farmer suicides. It has created debates around multinational profiteering at farmers’ cost.  

Considering this, the regulatory mechanisms for genetic crops in India should provide and implement adequate safeguards to protect farmer interests. The field trials should be conducted professionally and should ward off any inadvertent gene contamination of other crops. The government should actively seek against the usage of terminator genes that make seeds unusable for subsequent seasons.  

It is hoped that this research originating from a public research lab would promote the interests of our farmers and consumers. Appropriate safeguards can provide a stepping stone to the path of atmanirbharta in the edible oil sector.  

Another contentious view on GM crops can emerge from a pricing perspective. How can GM croppers mitigate the price risk and transfer their risks to consumers? The government needs to develop appropriate policy mechanisms to promote GM mustard adoption and devise a transfer pricing for solvent extraction units. Arriving at a consensus with stakeholders at multiple levels is necessary to promote genetically engineered agriculture in India. 

Avinash teaches at IIM Jammu and Dey teaches at IIM Lucknow. Views are personal. 

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