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The commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops across the
globe completes nine years - just a year left to complete a decade, February
2005 by Ashok B Sharma.

All through these years much of the time was spent on creating hypes,
instead of addressing the issues of genuine public concerns in a valid
scientific manner.

An instance of such a hype comes from the recent preview of the global
status of commercialised GM crops conducted by the International Service for
the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). The ISAAA has
designated 14 countries along with India as ?biotech mega-countries.?

The only criteria used for judging a ?biotech mega-country? is that which
grows GM crops over an area of 50,000 hectare or more.

ISAAA has been too generous in conferring the status of ?biotech mega-
country? to India. But for what reasons ?

India has approved only three varieties of Bt cotton for commercial
cultivation and that in select cotton-growing areas. In fact, Bt cotton is
the only GM crop approved so far for commercial cultivation.

As per ISAAA, the area coverage under Bt cotton in India in 2004 increased
by 400% to be at 500,000 hectare. Thus India qualifies the ISAAA criteria to
be designated as ?biotech mega-country.?

The ISAAA, however, admits in a passing reference that the total cotton area
in country is nine million hectare. The reference of nine million cotton
area pertains to the year 2003. The cotton area in the country has increased
in 2004 to about 10 million hectare. In comparison to the total cotton area
in the country, the coverage of Bt cotton is still minuscule. Further to
justify the given status of biotech mega-country, the ISAAA estimated that
Bt cotton was grown in 11% of the area where hybrid cotton was cultivated.
It has estimated hybrid cotton area at 4 million hectare.

Strangely, India with a minuscule area coverage under Bt cotton can become a
?biotech mega-country? as per ISAAA estimate. The ISAAA further said that
the acceptance of Bt cotton amongst farmers is growing. It gave the old data
of a survey conducted by Neilson & Co on behalf of Monsanto showing benefits
to 75,000 farmers who had grown Bt cotton in 2003 over an area of 100,000
hectare. The report gives a hope for further commercialisation of GM crops
in India saying: ?Bt cotton provides both China and India with the
confidence and experience to approve their first biotech food crops - rice
in China and eggplant in India.?

Regulatory approval for eggplant in India will definitely take more time
than what ISAAA expects. It has yet to pass through various stage of
clearances. It is natural to expect hypes of GM technology from ISAAA which
is supported by the seed multinationals. But a genuine review of the
situation should be one which reflects and analyses the real situation.

This article, however, is not analysing the status of other 13 ?biotech
mega-countries? mentioned by ISAAA due to lack of reliable comparative data.
But commenting on the global situation in general, it can be said that the
increase in GM crop are as stated by ISAAA and is due to new countries
approving GM crops for cultivation. The increase in area coverage may not
necessarily mean more acceptance of the technology. It may also suggest that
farmers are experimenting on GM crops to see as to whether they give them
adequate benefits as compared to conventional crops.

The ISAAA report said that Indonesia and Bulgaria pulled out of the biotech
race as the regulatory authorities in these countries did not extend
?permits? beyond 2003. But why the permits were not extended? The ISAAA
report is silent!

The ISAAA report says of Paraguay officially joining the biotech race after
years illegal cultivation of soyabean. Illegal cultivation of GM crops was
also in Brazil before the official approval.

There are still illegal cultivation of Bt cotton in several parts of India
where it is not yet approved. This is a genuine public concern which needs
to be addressed. Concerns are there that if the GM crops are cultivated
without following the scientific protocols it may cause health and
environmental hazards. The onus lies both upon the advocates of the
technology and the regulatory authority.

The ISAAA stated that the global market for biotech crop at $5 billion by
2005. This is much less in size as compared to the market for organic food
which is estimated at $37 billion. This raises a moot question: Should
farmers go for biotech crops or organic farming?

It is desirable that a research study should engage more on a comparative
analysis rather than have an intention to create hypes.

[www.financialexpress.com]

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