Guest guest Posted March 28, 2002 Report Share Posted March 28, 2002 INDIA: Genetically Modified Cotton Gets The Go-Ahead 27 Mar 2002 Source: just-style.com NEW: Receive news on this subject in your inbox... e-mail this to a colleague printable version send us some feedback India, the world's third-largest cotton producer, yesterday gave the green light to commercial production of genetically modified cotton, and said the decision could help it boost traditionally low yields and overtake China and the United States in the production stakes. AM Gokhale, chairman of The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), told reporters GEAC had approved the release of three transgenic BT (bacillus thuringiensis) hybrid cotton varieties - the BT MECH 12, BT MECH 162 and BT MECH 184 varieties which contain the " CRY 1 Ac " gene which renders them resistant to the cotton bollworm. The GM cotton hybrids are produced by a private company partnered by US biotechnology giant Monsanto. Their use follows five years of field trials and lab tests. " About 150,000 hectares out of the present area will come under BT cotton in the first year, " Gokhale said. " The increase in productivity will be spectacular. " He added there would also be a drastic reduction in the use of insecticides. GEAC said fields of BT cotton must be surrounded by at least five rows of non-BT cotton or a non-BT planted area that covers 20 per cent of the total sown land. Although India has the world's largest cotton-growing area - nearly nine million hectares - its yield of just 300kg per hectare is less than half the global average of 650kg. Field trials of GM cotton have attracted opposition from environmentalists and farmers worried about its safety. In October the federal government ordered the destruction of illegally grown GM cotton in the western state of Gujarat. " The science is too new, it is not yet studied in all its aspects so we would not be sure about the environmental impact on the crop, " Greenpeace campaign director Ganesh Nochur told reporters. The environment ministry is now taking applications for the seed from cotton growers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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