‘Seize illegal biotech cotton seeds’

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New Delhi, May 8: Farmers’ organisations and NGOs have urged the regulatory body Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to direct the state governments concerned to seize stocks of illegal and unapproved varieties of Bt cotton seeds before the sowing season.

They have called for seizure of stock of about 300,000 bags of seeds of Mech-12 Bt, Mech-162 Bt and Mech-184 Bt of Mahyco-Monsanto in Andhra Pradesh, which has been disallowed for further cultivation in the state.

They also demand seizure of stocks of Mech-12 Bt in entire south India where it has been recently disallowed.

Farmer leaders and NGOs demand that sites of field trials be made public, so that they can inspect the ‘refuge area’ and verify the results of the ongoing trials.

Leader of Farmers-Industry Alliance, P Chengal Reddy had earlier said that farmers have booked orders for 300,000 bags of Bt cotton seeds with local dealers. In this context, the executive chairman of the ruling Congress party’s farmers’ outfit, Bharat Krishak Samaj (BKS), Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary said: “farmers have already incurred heavy losses by cultivating Mech-12 Bt, Mech-162 Bt and Mech-184. We had urged the GEAC not to renew approval for them. Finally, the GEAC partially agreed and has disallowed its cultivation in Andhra Pradesh. It has also banned cultivation of Mech-12 Bt in entire South India. Now, it is the duty of the state governments and the GEAC to ensure that farmers are not cheated by the sale of these seeds under a different brand.”

Dr Chaudhary said that there are reports of failure of Bt cotton in other states as well, but the GEAC considered its failure only in certain areas.

ISAAA national cordinator Bhagirath Chaudhary also demanded that GEAC should take stern action to stop proliferation of illegal varieties. He said that GEAC has now approved new varieties and farmers should sow only the approved varieties.

About, 20 farmer leaders including Bir Singh Mehto of Agragami Kisan Sabha, Krishna Chandra Suryavanshi of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Dr Sunilam of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Madhya Pradesh, Prof KC Baswaraju of Kranataka Pajya Ryot Sangha, Pishora Singh Sidupur of BKU Ekta, Punjab, S Malla Reddy of Andhra Pradesh Rytu Sangham and Kolli Nageshwara Rao of Andhra Pradesh Ryotu Sangam have urged GEAC to disallow cultivation of Bt cotton on “account of its large scale failure in past three years.”