Frail regime, easy entry for GMOs

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: India has planned to introduce mandatory labeling of genetically modified (GM) foods. The health ministry is in the process of finalising its draft proposals for amending relevant provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Rules, 1955.

While the health ministry is expected to finalise the draft in May, the commerce ministry in its amendments to the Foreign Trade Policy has said that all imported GM products should be labeled. If the consignment does not contain such a label and is later found to contain traces of GM material, the importer is liable for penal action under Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992.

The health ministry’s draft proposal is related only to GM foods and does not cover GMOs and GM materials meant for other purposes. Hence it does not fully address the concerns stated in the Cartagena Protocol about the transboundary movement of GMOs (referred as living modified organisms—LMOs).

Incidentally, no other agency in the country is devising guidelines for labeling of GMOs and GM materials. Therefore, the Foreign Trade Policy’s call for mandatory labeling of GM materials will not be resolved in the narrow range provided in the proposed draft amendments to the PFA Rules.

Mandatory labeling of GM materials, irrespective of threshold limits, can be viewed as a movement in the right direction, keeping in view the grave concerns about health and environment safety. Mandatory labeling will certainly to an extent check the clandestine imports of GM materials. But the most important issue is whether the labeled GM materials would be allowed easy entry into the market.

The proposed draft amendments to the PFA rules says that labeling should also “indicate that the product has been cleared for marketing and use in the country of origin so that the verification, if needed can be taken up with that country without having to resort to testing.”

Similar are the words of the Foreign Trade Policy which says: “It has been decided to allow pre-shipment test certificates from accredited international agencies in lieu of test reports.”