GEAC Panel On BT BRINJAL + MONSANTO's Bt Cotton Pricing !

[Guest guest]

GEAC forms expert panel to study Bt brinjal effects http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=139052 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Friday, September 01, 2006 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 31: The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has set up an expert panel under the chairmanship of the vice-chancellor of the Delhi University, Dr Deepak Pental to review the health and environmental concerns of Bt brinjal developed by Mahyco. Other members of the panel are the former professor of Botany in the Delhi University, Dr Mohan Ram; retired professor, Dept of Botany, Delhi University, Dr C R Babu; director, Central Food Technology and Research Institute, Dr V Prakash; director, National Institute of Nutrition, Dr B

Sesikaran; principal scientist, National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Dr P Anand Kumar; director, National Botanical Research Institute, Dr Rakesh Tuli; director Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Dr Mathura Rai; professor of economics at Institute of Economic Growth, MN Murthy; director, Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), S Parasuraman; director, department of biotechnology and secretary RCGM, Dr TV Ramanaiah; and the additional director in the environment ministry and member secretary of the GEAC, Dr Ranjani Warrier. The health ministry has been asked to nominate its representative in the panel. All the members of this expert panel are already members of the GEAC with the exception of S Parasuraman of the TISS. The GEAC has cleverly kept out NGOs, farmers’ and consumer organisations from the panel. The panel would evaluate comments

received from the various stakeholders vis-a-vis the biosafety data generated by the concerned seed company, Mahyco and available scientific/technical data/literature from studies conducted by various national and international institutions. It would suggest additional studies, if any, to be conducted. The expert panel would also evaluate the adequacy of the protocol proposed for large-scale field trials and recommend additional safeguards, if any. It would recommend protocol for socio-economic studies and make any other recommendation on related aspects. The panel chairman may co-opt other members with required expertise in the committee as and when required. The panel may invite views of other stakeholders, including farmers, consumer organisations and NGOs. The seed company, Mahyco, which has developed Bt brinjal in collaboration with the US multinational,

Monsanto, had asked for large-scale field trials. Farmers groups, consumer organisations and NGOs has objected to the proposal saying that India is the centre of origin for brinjal and the open air field trials would result in cross pollition to native brinjal varieties and result in a loss in biodiversity. They have also cited several scientific evidences from across the globe about health hazards relating to Bt genes and the promoter and the marker used in development of Bt brinjal. GEAC is baffled at the news of sheep mortality on account of grazing over Bt cotton fields in Warganal district in Andhra Pradesh. It has asked the state government to send factual reports of this issue and also asked the department of biotechnology to conduct toxicity studies on Bt cotton leaves. GEAC has already admitted that toxicity studies on Bt cotton leaves have so far not been conducted. The reported cases of sheep mortality has become a

major roadblock in the process of approval of Bt brinjal for largescale field trials. ----------------------MMB moves SC over Bt cotton pricing The firm complains against TN and Karnataka’s directive not to charge more than Rs 750 http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=138935 ASHOK B SHARMA ECONOMY BUREAU Posted online: Thursday, August 31, 2006 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 30: Monsanto, the US-based seed multinational, and Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMB), the Indian joint venture, do not seem to be giving up on the issue of pricing of Bt cotton seeds. The MMB has moved the Supreme Court against the directions of the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka state governments not to charge more

than Rs 750 per 450 gram of Bt cotton seeds. Following the suit from Andhra Pradesh state government, both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had directed the MMB and its licencees not to charge more than Rs 750 per pack of 450 gram of Bt cotton seeds. The two separate petitions filed by the MMB against the two state governments was referred to a bench headed by Justice AR Lakshamanan, which is hearing the appeal filed by the company against the MRTPC order. The bench had upheld the Andhra Pradesh government’s directive that the MMB should not sell Bt cotton seeds more than the price fixed by it. The MMB in its fresh petitions has said that the state governments do not have the power to fix prices of seeds. Pricey Issues • Mahyco Monsanto in its fresh petitions said that the state govts do not have power to fix prices of seeds•

Following a suit filed by the AP state govt, the two states had asked the firm ‘not to charge more than Rs 750/ pack of 450 gm of Bt cotton seeds'• In April this year, the MRTPC had directed the firm to charge “reasonable prices” for Bt cotton seeds In April this year, the MMB suffered a major setback when the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) directed the company to charge “reasonable prices” for Bt cotton seeds. The commission noted that royalty charged by the parent company, Monsanto for Bt cotton seeds in China was lower. Subsequently the prices of seeds were lower. In India Bt cotton seeds carry a “technology fee” in lieu of royalty, which has increased the prices of the seeds. The MMB has recently marginally reduced its “technology fee” from Rs 900 to Rs 880, having no major impact on the prices. The Bt cotton seeds sold by the comapny and its licencees are in

the range of Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 per 450 gram pack.---------

Here's a new way to find what you're looking for - Answers Send FREE SMS to your friend's mobile from Messenger Version 8. Get it NOW