Source: Government of India

The area under Bt cotton will reach 81,00,000 lakh acres during 2006 in the country. During the year 2002 this was cultivated in 72,682 acres of the land which increased to 31,00,000 acres last year. Experience and high adoption of Bt cotton by farmers have confirmed the efficacy of Bt technology for control of bollworms. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee meeting, which was held on 30.6.2006, further said that about 121 Bt cotton hybrids are under various stages of field trials. India has approved the cultivation of Bt cotton with cry1Ac (Mon 531 event) in 2002 after extensive and exhaustive biosafety and agronomic evaluation. Within a period of four years about 59 hybrids expressing cry1Ac (Mon 531 event) have been released by the GEAC

The Ministry of Environment & Forests, constituted a sub-Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr C D Mayee, Chairman ASRB, and Co-Chair GEAC, to look into the existing processes, protocols and other related issues and gave recommendation for rationalization of the same. The final report of the sub-committee which was formulated through a consultative process was adopted by the GEAC.

The sub-Committee recommended various things. Extensive biosafety and agronomic testing is not necessary for approved event. Once an event has been tested for its biosafety and approved for environmental release, it should be treated on par with the non-Bt hybrids.

An “event based approval system” instead of the case by case approval process presently adopted by the GEAC under Rules 1989, would speed up the introduction of new and diverse products for the Indian farmer, stimulate competition and offer a wider choice, without compromising bio-safety and environmental safety.

While due consideration for the agronomic value of the hybrid should be given and not completely done away with, the parameters of prime importance to assess the efficacy of Bt technology are
(i) confirmation of the gene/event,
(ii) level of protein expression and
(iii) morphological characterization based on DUS parameters.

Parameters such as level of protein expression, susceptibility to diseases, staple length, staple strength, etc will be given consideration while selecting promising hybrids as these parameters also contribute to the economic gain. The technology in no way increases the yield potential of a hybrid but because of the inherent protection to bollworms there is a saving of bolls, and also reduction in number of sprays drastically, which results in increase in yield.

Since agriculture is a State subject, involvement of the State Agriculture Universities (SAUs) and State Agriculture Departments has been enhanced by delegating Director Research of SAUs as the nodal point for pre-release field monitoring and Direct Agriculture Extension of SAUs as the nodal point for post release monitoring mechanism under the direct supervision of respectively. A funding mechanism for the same has also been proposed.

ICAR trials in respect of Bt cotton with cry1Ac (Mon 531 event) have been made optional. This was done in view of the constraints expressed by ICAR in handling large number of field trials due to limited resources and infrastructure. Alternatively the Companies may opt for SAU trials.

In case of Bt cotton hybrids expressing new gene events or new transgenic crops, the prevailing system of two year LST in tandem with two year ICAR trials after multi-location trials under RCGM would continue. The liberalized procedure recommended for Bt cotton hybrids expressing cry1Ac gene (Mon 531 EVENT) would be applicable to new gene-events after its performance have been monitored post release and GEAC has renewed its approval for commercial release.

Regarding seed production of Bt Brinjal and its large scale trials, permission will be granted. The Committee taking into consideration the comments received from several NGOs and others has extended the time period of submitting their comments upto 15th July 2006. Regarding the request of some NGOS for detailed biosafety package and statistical analysis of biosafety data, the Committee was of the view that the NGOS /Public may be permitted to examine the report in the MoEF in the presence of a GEAC representative.

The GEAC also decided to constitute an Expert Committee to look into the comments received from the NGOS/ public and submit its recommendation to the GEAC.