GMO

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Genetically modified mustard, if approved, will be the first such food crop to be commercially released in India. This will open the floodgates for other such crops making India one of the largest users of genetically modified crops in the world in the next 10 to 12 years. Given that its agriculture is largely in the hands of multinational seed and agrochemical companies, India will end up bartering its freedom for the benefit of a few and the misery of the rest.

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The New York Times (NYT) recently conducted an investigation into the debate whether genetically modified (GM) crops are safe for consumption or not. In their investigation, they exposed that the problems related to GM crops are more basic than what was thought earlier. Here are the five findings from the New York Times investigation on GM crops:

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Anti-GM activists and farmers have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding rejection of GM Mustard to safeguard the interest of farmers, consumers and environment. Farmers organisations including RSS-affiliatee Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, civil society organisations, experts and common citizens under the banner Sarson Satyagraha have come together and pointed out “serious objections” to the release of Genetically Modified (GM) Mustard in their memorandum.

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On the outskirts of Raichur, once known as Karnataka’s cotton city, Ramesh Rangappa proudly shows off his recently planted acre of organic cotton. “It’s rain-fed and we haven’t added any chemical fertiliser,” he said. Although there hasn’t been any rain in recent times, the cotton is coming along nicely.

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LONDON — The controversy over genetically modified crops has long focused on largely unsubstantiated fears that they are unsafe to eat. But an extensive examination by The New York Times indicates that the debate has missed a more basic problem — genetic modification in the United States and Canada has not accelerated increases in crop yields or led to an overall reduction in the use of chemical pesticides.