Genetically modified soya, canola and corn now available in Indian markets

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Oct 16: The Centre for Sustainable Agriculture on Tuesday
called upon consumers to boycott
genetically modified soya, canola and corn which are now available in the
Indian markets.
Following removal of restrictions on genetically modified crops by the
Central government, several
multinational firms have started marketing GM food products like soya,
canola and corn, which were
hitherto not sold in the country.
GV Ramanjaneyulu, executive director of Centre for Sustainable
Agriculture, regretted that GM food
products were now being allowed into the Indian markets without any
regulation in place. "GM technology
is a matter of concern since it has potential adverse health and
environmental impacts. It has been
documented that GM foods have altered toxicity or allergenicity or
nutritional composition than their non-
GM counterparts," he said.
Addressing a press conference to mark the World Food Day, observed every
year on October 16, he said
the Central government's notification issued recently exempting
genetically modified  products from
regulatory processes had opened the floodgates of GM food products’
imports into the country in a
legalised fashion.
He appealed to consumers to boycott genetically modified soya, corn and
canola to avoid complicated
health problems at a latter date. India imports around two million tonnes
of de-gummed soybean oil every
year from Argentina, Brazil and USA and this is either GM or
GM-contaminated. In addition, India also
imports refined soybean oil from these countries.
Canola oil is also imported from Canada and more than 80 per cent of all
canola production in Canada is of
GE origin, he said.