GMO Contamination Issue + AVIAN FLU (Latest) + FAO-UNIDO Initiative + Fert Subsidy

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NEWS Bulletin from Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture And Rural Development ********************************* 1. GMO CONTAMINATION ISSUE - Ministries join hands to fight out genetic contamination Latest on AVIAN FLU in India--- 2. Unusual poultry deaths reported in Mizoram 3. FAO-UNIDO INITIATIVE - India to host first agro-industry forum 4. SUBSIDY - Fertilisers to get Rs 15k cr more ------------------------------- GMO CONTAMINATION ISSUE Ministries join hands to fight out genetic contamination http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Ministries-join-hands-to-fight-out-genetic-contamination/209504/ ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Thursday , August 09, 2007 at 2304 hrs IST New Delhi, Aug 9 In view of the recent controversy over genetic contamination, owing to field trials and commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in

the country, the science and technology ministry has offered to resolve the issue. It would work with the agriculture ministry in formulating standards for genetic contamination of various crops. The Supreme Court, in its recent order, had asked the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to set up a protocol for detecting 0.0!% level of genetic contamination. It said that the field trials of GM crops should ensure that genetic contamination should not be above 0.01%. “We are working with the agriculture ministry in setting up the standards for genetic contamination of various crops,” said the S & T minister, Kapil Sibal told FE National economic benefits, including carbon credits, by use of biopesticides and biofertilisers would be assessed by October 2007. S & T ministry would prepare a working paper and plan for rejuvenating tea industry in north India by October

2007 Meanwhile addressing the mediapersons in Capital on Thursday, Sibal announced his ministry’s time-bound programmes for reinvigorating Indian agriculture through science and technology so as to enable the sector to achieve 4% annual growth rate in the 11th Plan period. As the country imports potash fertilisers and the soil needs potash nutrients for crop cultivation, the science and technology ministry would undertake a study for extracting potash from sea water. “The study would be completed by December 2007,” he said and added that the technology was a proven one. A horticulture planting material mission for the northeastern region would be operationalised by December 2007 and a programme for demonstrating farm mechanisation would be undertaken in collaboration with agriculture universities and extension services will be completed by the end of this year. It would also suggest preparation of wine

from tea. Devices for seed quality assessment and a composite package of practices and inputs for 32 `hot spot’ districts would be developed by June 2008. Among other programmes are operationalisation of agromet advisory service for all districts by June 2008, setting up of a comprehensive agro-information portal in several local languages and a real-time crop health and productivity assessment and management platform by December 2007.--------- Unusual poultry deaths reported in Mizoram http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Unusual-poultry-deaths-reported-in-Mizoram/209173/0 ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 at 0033 hrs IST Reported cases of unusual mortality in poultry birds in Mizoram have given rise to the apprehensions that the highly pathogenic avian flu which occurred in a solitary farm in Manipur might spread to other parts of northeastern India. However, there is some good news the samples sent from Tripura for testing in high security animal disease laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal have been found to be free from avian flu virus. While clean-up operation was in full swing in the affected village Chingmeirong and the surrounding areas in east Imphal district in Manipur, reports of unusual deaths of poultry birds in Tripura and Mizoram added to the problems. Tripura borders Bangladesh and Mizoram and Manipur share their borders with Myanmar. Government feels the possibility of Avian Flu entering this part of the country from the two bird flu affected countries. However, this apprehension is not yet confirmed. The joint secretary in the Union animal husbandary department, Upma Chawdhary said that the Centre has received reports of 500 out of 3,000 birds in Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khowai in West Tripura district. Initial post-mortem reports have indicated that the deaths in Tripura were due to infectious Bursal disease. The samples sent to HSADL was found to be free from avian flu virus. Unusual deaths of 122 birds were reported in Vawmbuk village in Saiha district in Mizoram till August 3, she said. Symptoms of poultry birds that died in Mizoram indicate Fowl Pox disease. The samples from Mizoram have also been sent to HSADL for further tests and reports are awaited, she said. The poultry industry is very much concerned as number of countries imposing ban on entry of Indian poultry products is increasing. UAE,

Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Myanmar have slapped a ban on Indian poultry imports following the outbreak of avian flu in the northeastern part of the country. US, Pakistan and Bangladesh are still continuing with their ban on Indian poultry imports since 2006. The major destination of exports of Indian live poultry, eggs, hatching eggs, frozen eggs, egg powder and poultry meat are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan, Denmark, Poland, US, Angola and the West Asian countries. In Manipur about 3,36,000 birds have been culled in and around the affected areas and 25,242 kg of feed has been destroyed. Mopping, cleaning and dis-infection operations have been taken up. Further surveillance operations have been undertaken within a radius of 10 km from the affected area. The poultry industry of north-east India has estimated a loss of Rs 6,700 million on account of incidence of

avian flu in Manipur alone. In the previous year due to the outbreak of Avian Flu in western India the estimated loss was Rs 30,000 million. ---- FAO-UNIDO INITIATIVE India to host first agro-industry forum http://www.financialexpress.com/news/India-to-host-first-agro-forum/209318/ ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 at 2333 hrs IST New Delhi, Aug 8 India will host the first Global Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF) in April next year to promote the role of agro-industries in enhancing productivity and profitability in agriculture, employment generation and poverty alleviation, especially in developing countries

would receive requisite attention. The event will be organised jointly by the Indian government, FAO and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) from 8 to 11 April 2008. Union Minister of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Sharad Pawar and Director General, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Jacques Diouf jointly made this announcement today. "Hosting this global event in New Delhi is a testimony to India's central place in the world agricultural scenario and that it will further strengthen FAO's and UNIDO's engagement with the country," said Pawar. Pawar noted that a key challenge was to develop agro-industries and associated enterprises that were inclusive of small-scale producers and processors and also delivered better products at lower prices. He added that while high-income countries added $180 of value by processing

one tonne of agricultural products, developing countries generated only $40 of value per tonne. Following the forum, FAO and UNIDO will launch a series of concrete actions at regional and national levels, including a series of regional agro-industry fora to strengthen expertise and capacity for establishing enabling policies, institutions and services, and will technically support the development of competitive agro-industries and value chains in conjunction with regional and national partners. "Rapid globalisation, market liberalization, and urbanization have created new opportunities for increased trade in agricultural food products in national, regional and international markets, but they have also created challenges and increased risks," explains Dr. Daniel Gustafson, FAO Representative in India. ------- SUBSIDY Fertilisers to get Rs 15k cr more http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Fertilisers-to-get-Rs-15k-cr-more/209280/ ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 at 2245 hrs IST New Delhi, Aug 8 Fertiliser companies can finally heave a sigh of relief, as the government has decided to dole out an additional Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150,000 million) as financial support to meet their losses. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the finance ministry to release an amount over and above the Rs 22,451.01 crore (Rs 224,510.10 million) that was earmarked in the Budget for 2007-08. The additional provision is expected to meet the needs of fertiliser subsidy till December 2007. The stock prices of fertiliser firms on the NSE closed in positive territory on Wednesday, with Chambal Fertiliser (Rs 33.90) NFL (32.75) and GSFC (Rs 227) showing good gains. Of the total amount, the government has decided to pay out Rs 9,000 crore (Rs 90,000 million) as cash support from the budgetary pool, while Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60,000 million) would be mopped up through bonds. Fertiliser firms have to sell their products to farmers at government-controlled rates. Currently, the farm gate price of urea is Rs 4,000 a tonne whereas the companies estimate the actual price at above Rs 12,000 per tonne. The government keeps the prices low to ensure that farmers get fertilizer at affordable prices, and therefore ensures food security. As the initial subsidy provision was inadequate because of strong demand for fertilizer, chemical and fertilizer minister,

Ram Vilas Paswan had demanded an additional allocation amounting to Rs 39,674 crore (Rs 396,740 million) to meet the subsidy bill for the current year. This includes a backlog of Rs 8,788 crore (Rs 87,880 million) for the previous year. Chairing a meeting for reviewing availability of funds for fertiliser subsidy on Wednesday, Singh directed both the finance and fertiliser ministries to ensure that adequate funds are available to meet the disbursal requirements for fertilizer subsidy. According to an official release, while the existing subsidy system may have to be reviewed in the future, the government was committed to the present system and will ensure that adequate funds are available to meet the requirements this year. ‘The Prime Minister’s office will resolve matters in this regard’, the release added. The sum would be provided through the first batch of supplementary demand for grants to be cleared

through Parliament by the finance ministry, in the monsoon session. Wednesday’s meeting was attended by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, finance minister P Chidambaram, fertiliser minister Ram Vilas Paswan and principal secretary to the prime minister TKA Nair. ---

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