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India's Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee approves field trials with GM
cotton, rice, okra, brinjal, potato, groundnut, tomato, corn,
cabbage, cauliflower, mustard and sorghum for generation of
biosafety data |
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India
July 8, 2009
Source:
Government of India
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC)has
accorded approval for conducting field trials with GM crops
namely; cotton, rice, okra, brinjal, potato, groundnut, tomato,
corn, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard and sorghum for generation
of biosafety data. GEAC is the apex body notified under the
‘Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of
Hazardous Micro Organisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or
Cells 1989’ of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,
The public and private institutions involved in conducting field
trials include; Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur,
Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, National Research
Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad; National Research Centre for
Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi; Tamil Nadu Agriculture
University, Coimbatore; University of Agriculture, Dharwad;
International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics,
Hyderabad; M/s Bejo Sheetal Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Jalna; M/s Pioneer
Overseas Corporation; Hyderabad; M/s Dow Agro Science, Mumbai;
M/s Monsanto India Limited, New Delhi; M/s Bayer BioSciences
Pvt., Hyderabad; M/s J. K. Agri Genetics Limited, Hyderabad; M/s
Nunhems India Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon; M/s Avesthagen Ltd.,
Bangalore, M/s Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. Ltd., Mumbai; and
M/s Metahelix Life Sciences, Bangalore.
Biosafety data for Bt cotton and Bt brinjal which includes
environment and health safety data is available in the public
domain. This data can be accessed at;
http://www.envfor.nic.in/divisions/csurv/geac/geac_home.html
and
http://www.igmoris.nic.in.
In respect of other crops, the experiments / trials are in
progress. |
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