Expert committees to meet again next week to discuss the controversy-ridden genetically modified vegetable.
After a lull of one year, the Bt brinjal issue is again coming to the forefront.
Post last year’s moratorium on its release issued by environment minister Jairam Ramesh, a 16 member expert panel constituted by the minister along with the genetic engineering approval committee (GEAC) is to meet next week to discuss the matter.
Though it is not very clear as to whether the meeting on April 27 will recommend further testing, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co (Mahyco), the company which has developed the Bt brinjal is optimistic of the outcome of the meeting.
Usha Barwale Zehr, joint director of research, Mahyco, said that the firm is confident about Bt brinjal.
“There is a need to look at infusion of technology into agriculture to increase production,” said Zehr.
Bt brinjal refers to brinjal which has been genetically modified and infused with a gene of a bacterium — bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This gene produces a protein — Cry 1Ac — which kills the fruit and shoot borer, a pest which destroys brinjal.
Various estimates peg annual yield losses of between 20% and 70% due to damage caused by the fruit and shoot borer.
Zehr said that Bt brinjal would nullify the need for pesticides for the fruit and shoot borer, and would reduce the overall need for pesticides for the crop.
However, according to Kavita Kuruganti, an agriculture activist, there are other ways of managing pests like botanical extracts and non-pesticidal management of crops, rather than corporate-centric technologies.
The Bt technology has been licenced by Mahyco from US based crop company Monsanto, which holds a 26% stake in Mahyco.
Brinjal is a key crop in India, with estimates by the Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education claiming that 25 million Indian farmers cultivate the crop on 5.1 lakh hectares of land with an annual production of 8.2 million tonnes.
In October 2009, the GEAC had approved Bt brinjal, following which there were widespread protests against release of the same, as concerns over the safety of the product came to the fore.
Jairam Ramesh had thereafter imposed a moratorium which would last till independent scientific studies could establish the products’ long-term safety on health.
Bhaskar Goswami, from the Forum for Biotechnology and Food Safety, said that at present, safety concerns continue to remain.
“The bio-safety tests have to be 100% sure of the long-term safety of the food. The Bt gene degenerates when cooked, but there is no clarity on whether it remains if the vegetable is consumed uncooked.”
Zehr said that over 25 tests have been done on fish, goats, rats, buffaloes, etc to check the toxicity.
“As per the bio-safety guidelines by the Ministry of Science and Technology, all the safety tests have been completed. The expert committee I and II asked for further testing which was also completed,” said Zehr.
However, some experts feel there should be no hurry in decision making pertaining to the Bt brinjal.
“More experimental studies and greater assessment is required. Once it is allowed into the food chain, it becomes near impossible to track the direct effects on human health,” said Kuruganti.
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