The government is waiting for the Supreme Court judgment on allowing the use of
Genetically Modified (GM) technology in food crops, crops, according to Tariq Anwar, Union Minister of State for Agriculture.
Speaking to
Business Today on the sidelines of the World Agricultural Forum Congress and Agri-Tech Trade Fair 2013 in Hyderabad, he said, the government will take all precautions and ensure all concerns are addressed with reference to the introduction of GM food crops.
He said President Pranab Mukerjee recently asked scientists to look into the implications of the technology. Anwar referred to the president's comments at the 85th foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in July this year where he had said: "Development and introduction of genetically modified crops has the potential to revolutionize agriculture. Concerns over their perceived risks should be addressed by following internationally accepted procedures for assessing safety parameters."
He went on say that ICAR should shed light on the issue and "contribute to public disclosure".
Anwar said the Supreme Court-appointed export committee also submitted its report to the Supreme Court. In July this year, the committee recommended an indefinite moratorium on open field trials of GM crops until all regulatory and safety concerns are addressed.
"The biggest challenge in the coming years lies in ensuring food safety in the face of the constantly growing population in the country. The population in India, he said, will stand at 1.53 billion by 2030 as against 1.2 billion today," he said at the event.
The meet that attracted some 470 delegates both from India and abroad, is being held from November 4 to November 7 with a focus on the needs and future of small farmers. Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N Kiran Kumar Reddy felt it was important to ensure that the agriculture sector is an attractive career option for the youth in the country.
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