European Union finds problems with Indian rice exports, on the genetically modified issue.
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Why did European Union disallow Indian rice
- The story: The EU nations are very sensitive to issues of GM crops, unlike the USA. It emerged that 500 tonnes of genetically modified rice was discovered by European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) in a consignment that India exported to the EU countries. In June '21, France had issued a notification for unauthorised GM rice flour, identifying India as the point of origin.
- GM crops: Genetically modified (GM) crops are plants of which the DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. The aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. In food crops, it include resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, and improving the nutrient profile of the crop. In non-food crops, it includes production of pharmaceutical agents, biofuels, and other industrially useful goods, as well as for bioremediation. More than 10% of world’s crop lands have been planted with GM crops.
- Why have GM crops at all: They offer traits that are not naturally available. For example: better pest and disease resistance. They also have greater tolerance of stress, such as drought, low temperature or salinity. They have high yield and faster growth. They can be made resistant to specific herbicides.
- Problems with GM crops: There isn't enough study on the potential impact of GM crops on humans. They may cause unpredictable side effects, and health related issues. They can cause ecological damage, and are usually not accessible to every farmer. There are persistent issues on the intellectual property rights matter (IPR).
- Indian situation: The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body for approval of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants. It works under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It handles approval of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered organisms and products including experimental field trials.
- Bt cotton – Bt cotton was first used in India in 2002, as an insect-resistant transgenic crop designed to combat the bollworm and accounts for 90% of the cotton acreage now. It was created by genetically altering the cotton genome to express a microbial protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Three genes are inserted via genetic engineering techniques: Cry1Ac gene, NPTII gene, AAD gene
- Bt-Brinjal - The GEAC in 2007 recommended the commercial release of Bt Brinjal that is resistant to brinjal shoot fly. It was developed by Mahyco in collaboration with University of Agricultural Sciences (Dharwad), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research. But it was put on moratorium in 2010 by the then Environment Minister who assumed the role of regulator and ordered a suspension on the transgenic vegetable’s cultivation.
- GM hybrid mustard (DMH-11) – DMH -11 crop was made resistant to broad spectrum herbicide – Glufosinate, developed by Delhi University. It is is pending for commercial release as GEAC has advised to generate complete safety assessment data on environmental bio-safety, especially effects on beneficial insect species.
- Others – In India, incidents of illegal cultivation of HTBt cotton, Bt brinjal and GM soybean in commercial scale are not unknown. But the only genetically modified crop under commercial cultivation in India is Bt cotton.
- India’s rice export: India is the second largest producer of rice next to China, producing one fifth of the world's rice. India is the largest exporter of rice. The GM-free rice that is tagged as ‘organic rice’ is among India’s high-value exports worth Rs. 63,000 crore annually.
- The EU tangle: There are fears that the testing varieties of GM rice in trial plots may have leaked into the exported product. The Indian government has denied this possibility alleging that the contamination may have happened in Europe to cut costs. India indicated that it will commission an investigation involving its scientific bodies to enquire into this matter. Because of the close connections between farmers and State agriculture universities which are testing new varieties of crops, there is a possibility that seeds may transfer within plots. As many Indian farmers are dependent on European imports, the Centre must ensure importers that India’s produce is compliant with trade demands. India’s first herbicide-tolerant & non-GM rice varieties - Pusa Basmati 1979 and Pusa Basmati 1985 was developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). It contains a mutated acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene that makes the plant resistant to Imazethapyr, a broad-spectrum herbicide.
- EXAM QUESTIONS: (1) Explain why GM crops became popular in the past two decades. (2) Why is India extremely measured in its approach towards GM crops, despite farmers' insistence on having more of GM seeds? (3) What is the divergence in approach between EU and US on GM crops? Explain.
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