India
July 8, 2009

Source: Government of India

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC)has accorded approval for conducting field trials with GM crops namely; cotton, rice, okra, brinjal, potato, groundnut, tomato, corn, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard and sorghum for generation of biosafety data. GEAC is the apex body notified under the ‘Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells 1989’ of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,

The public and private institutions involved in conducting field trials include; Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, National Research Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad; National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi; Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore; University of Agriculture, Dharwad; International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics, Hyderabad; M/s Bejo Sheetal Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Jalna; M/s Pioneer Overseas Corporation; Hyderabad; M/s Dow Agro Science, Mumbai; M/s Monsanto India Limited, New Delhi; M/s Bayer BioSciences Pvt., Hyderabad; M/s J. K. Agri Genetics Limited, Hyderabad; M/s Nunhems India Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon; M/s Avesthagen Ltd., Bangalore, M/s Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. Ltd., Mumbai; and M/s Metahelix Life Sciences, Bangalore.

Biosafety data for Bt cotton and Bt brinjal which includes environment and health safety data is available in the public domain. This data can be accessed at; http://www.envfor.nic.in/divisions/csurv/geac/geac_home.html and http://www.igmoris.nic.in. 

In respect of other crops, the experiments / trials are in progress.

Website: http://pib.nic.in

Published: July 8, 2009