The Coalition for GM Free India has asked the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to take stern action against companies that are selling the illegal seeds herbicide toleratant Bt (HTBt) cotton as sales of illegal HTBt cotton seeds are assuming alarming alarming proportions. It wants the GEAC to crack down on supply chains that help the illegal cottonseed business thrive.

But State governments such as Maharashtra are expressing their helplessness saying “farmers want it”. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, on the other hand, have asseted that they will take action on illegal seed sales.

In a letter to GEAC Chairperson Uma Devi, the Coalition alleged that companies permitted by the committee to sell particular kinds of authorised genetically-modified cottonseeds have been found to be selling unauthorised and illegal HTBt cottonseeds too.

Citing news reports, it alleged that a top seed company, which was authorised by the GEAC to sell GM seeds, was selling unauthorised and illegal HTBt cottonseeds in Maharashtra.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has asserted that it will take action against the offenders if they are caught selling illegal seeds.

“Reports indicate that a few samples (sold by the company) were detected with a herbicide-tolerant gene during testing by the Maharashtra Agriculture Department,” the Coalition said in the letter to the GEAC.

The FISEC (Field Inspection and Scientific Evaluation Committee) set up by Department of Biotechnology concluded that the illegal hybrids collected from the field could be grouped into two major sub-groups, indicating a very narrow genetic base. This reflects a organised breeding activity by a couple of companies.

There has been no concrete action taken by any agency, including GEAC, against the offenders, it alleged.

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse told BusinessLine: “ The Centre has banned HTBt cotton. It (Union government) says still it wants to conduct research on (safety) of HTBt. Legally it is banned. But it is in demand by the farmers”.

Asked if illegal HTBt seeds are dominating the cotton market of Maharashtra, Bhuse said, “ I am not denying it. Farmers want it”. He added that being a farmer he understands the situation of farmers.

Some 29 per cent of the total Kharif cultivation in Maharashtra is under cotton. Of this, about 25-35 per cent is under HTBt variety. Seed industry players and farmer organisations estimate that HTBt cultivation has increased as “ample” seeds were available in the market this year. In fact, pro-technology farmers body Shetkari Sanghatana has been openly appealing to farmers to go for HTBt cultivation since 2019.

The Federation of Seed Industry of India in June this year raised an alarm over a huge rise in illegal cultivation in Maharashtra from 30 lakh packets last year to about 75 lakh packets of HTBt. FSII also complained that illegal seeds were sold using the brand name of major seed players.

AP’s response

The Coalition said that the Andhra Pradesh Government had issued notices to a couple of seed companies after their samples found to be containing unauthorised herbicide-tolerant gene.

“The HT Bt cotton issue is not a major one in Andhra Pradesh. If there is any issue, we will not hesitate to take serious action against the offenders," Kurasala Kannababu, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Agriculture said.

When pointed out at the reports of Government slapping cases against the offenders last year, he said it was proof that the Government was taking stern action.

The Coalition also found fault with the regulator for not uploading the report on its Website. “It is unclear why this is not a public document, which can be used by alert civil society organisations to help regulators perform their duties diligently,” it pointed out.

The Coalition, an umbrella organisation comprising scientists and non-governmental organisations that oppose the GM organisms, said: “We have been saying for a long time now that it is easy enough to curb and stop the illegal spread of HT cotton cultivation in India if the Government regulators crack down on the seed supply systems, starting from hybrid cotton seed production areas of the country.”

It pointed out that the number of districts in the country where hybrid cotton seed production takes place, is a handful.

“Starting from checking in the seed production plots randomly through rapid (strip) tests to begin with, followed by drawing samples in ginning and seed processing units, it is easy enough to locate lots that are creating and selling HT cotton seeds,” it argued.

“We demand that GEAC put into action the long-pending crackdown on the illegal HT cotton seed supply systems in the country. We also demand cancellation of authorisations and licences given to seed companies if they are found to be selling the illegal HT seeds.

“We would like to remind GEAC and all its implementation arms for regulation of gene technologies that this is the time when seed processing would begin after harvest, and this is the time to take action,” it said.

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