IMDA flays govt for withdrawal of Bt-maize field trials

A national body on maize today expressed concern over the government move to withdraw field trials for Bt-maize and said the decision could threaten the crop's overall development and hit small farmers.

"The decision puts at risk the future success of small and marginal Indian farmers, particularly maize farmers, who toil to meet the escalating demand of maize in the country," said Indian Maize Development Association (IMDA).

"We have achieved higher productivity in maize through introduction of single Cross Hybrid (SCH). The next frontier is transgenic maize that can help reduce cost of cultivation and address problems of maize, 8O per cent of which is grown in rainfed area," an IMDA statement said.

It quoted IMDA President Sain Dass as saying that the halting technology advancement is a matter of "serious concern."

Following a strong complaint from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to Environment minister Jairam Ramesh last week, the field trial of Bt-maize by US-based Monsanto at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) campus in Samastipur district was stopped.

Kumar said the company started trials of Bt-maize at IARI campus in Pusa on February 21 before receiving a go-ahead letter from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC).

He reminded Ramesh of an earlier letter in 2009 in which he had written about the state government's reservation on the introduction of Bt-brinjal.

However, Dass said, "For India to prosper and use the power of agriculture, there needs to be clarity on the government's policy on agriculture biotechnology. These abrupt decisions may discourage agricultural researchers. With the success that maize has achieved over the years, there is significant scope to repeat Bt cotton story with maize and put India rightfully on the world map."

Dass said according to a report, in 2010 alone, biotech maize has been planted on 46.8 million hectares in 16 maize growing countries including Philippines, Spain, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina and USA and 8 European Countries.