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India ranked fourth in the area under GM crops
Feb. 3, 2015
According to a report released by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), India ranked fourth in the area under genetically modified (GM) crops in 2014.
While ISAAA estimated that the total global GM-coverage touched 181.5 million hectares last year, an additional 600,000 hectares came under the cultivation of Bt Cotton in India, which brought total acreage to 11.6 m ha, equal to the coverage of transgenics in Canada.
“It’s the 19th year of GM cultivation and we have seen greater adoption in developing countries since 2011. It’s the fastest adoption of any crop technology in agricultural history,” said Dr. Bhagirath Choudhary, Director, ISAAA (South Asia), pointing out that of 28 countries to have adopted GM technology, 20 were developing nations.
Globally, an additional 6.3 m ha came under transgenics coverage last year, the US leading the way with 3 m ha added in 2014 which brought the total area under GM-cultivation to 73.1 m ha, about 40 per cent of global adoption. Brazil ranked second, adding 1.9 m ha last year to touch 42.2 m ha, while Argentina recorded a marginal decline of 100,000 ha to 24.3 m ha.
Interestingly, GM-coverage in sixth-placed China, which allows cultivation of only GM papaya and cotton but does import GM farm produce, decreased by nearly 300,000 ha to 3.9 m ha. It is widely attributed to heated debates over safety concerns, with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture stating recently that a line had to be drawn between research and commercial production of GM food crops. Mandatory labelling has been introduced for 17 GM categories, including soyabean, cotton, rapeseed, and corn.
Bangladesh example
Neighbouring Bangladesh approved production of the Bt Brinjal last year and was grown by 120 farmers across 12 ha. “The Government is now experimenting with late blight-resistant potato and Golden Rice under field conditions. It is also keen to further Bt Cotton research and has collaborated with Chinese companies,” said Choudhary.
India’s surging cotton output, pegged at 40 million bales (of 170 kg each) in 2013-14, has often been attributed to the spread of Bt hybrids since 2002. Around 95 per cent of the cotton grown domestically is GM, led by Monsanto’s Bollguard technology.
“We overtook China as the world’s largest cotton producer last year and now, we in public research, request the Government to let us utilise Bt technology in open pollinated varieties instead of only hybrids, so that there can be better results in dryland areas,” said Dr. C.D. Mayee, former Director, Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR).
Maharashtra recently allowed open field trials of four transgenic lines in chickpea, cotton, rice and brinjal.
Source: The Hindu Business Line
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