Fate Of The Genetically Modified Food Market Still Ambiguous In India

Back in 1994, the first-ever commercially available genetically modified food-the Flavr Savr tomato was introduced into the global market by Calgene, a California-based agrochemical company. The tomato was bioengineered by adding an antisense gene in its genetic makeup which made it more resistant to ripening, increasing its shelf life without affecting the flavor or natural color.

Fast forward twenty plus years and today the global genetically modified food market has successfully expanded into an industry that is estimated to be worth $36,000 million. The GMO technology is now being incorporated into crops, vegetables, fruits and animal products. Having already established a strong sense of trust in the US and in some prominent European countries, the manufacturers of the global genetically modified food are now strategizing to expand their presence in the Asia-Pacific market, especially in China and India.

Being a traditionally agrarian country, India is the highly targeted country for expanding the GM –food market. However, the country’s stand for the acceptance of genetically modified crops is still up for debate. A major pro-market factor is a continuously increasing population in the country. Although agriculture forms the backbone of India, the U.N estimates that nearly one-fifth of its citizens are undernourished.  This food crisis is further fueled by constant droughts, lack of irrigation facilities to the farmers and damages done by insects and pests to the crops.

Many believe that genetically developed crops could be a solution to these problems. These crops could be bio-engineered to be resistant to pests and weeds. They can be cultivated by keeping in mind the need for increased shelf life and high-nutrition value for the malnourished population.

Timeline of the genetically modified food market in India:

2002:  Bt Cotton was the first GM plant to be produced in the country.  The crop was introduced through a joint venture between Monsanto and Mahyco. Over the years, the crop production has gained momentum in the country.

2009: Bt Brinjal developed by Mahyco or Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company in collaboration with Monsanto receives approval for field trials

2010: Furore over potential hazard and safety concerns leads to a moratorium on field trials of Bt Brinjal

2011: Proposal to launch Bt-rice in the market

2012: Government of Maharashtra bans Bt cotton to promote local seeds

2013: Ban lifts on Bt Cotton.

2014: India is the largest global producer of cotton and GM cotton.

2015: Activists and exporters protest Bt rice trials in Haryana

2017: Punjab University successfully developed the country’s first Bt cotton varieties as a cheaper alternative to Bt cotton-hybrid seeds; namely PAU Bt 1, F1861 and RS 2013.

2017: DMH 11 (Dhara Mustard Hybrid), a Genetically Modified (GM) version of Mustard gets clearance for commercial cultivation.

2018: India has the fifth largest cultivation area for genetically modified crops, spanning over states like Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujrat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Thus, judging by the above timeline, one can conclude that the prospects of the GM-food market are still uncertain in this region. On one hand, scientists are increasingly engaged in research and development to improve the crop resistance, and subsequent yield, while on the other hand, certain experts and environmental activists have raised concerns about the safety and credibility of these crops, resulting in their ban.  Several regulatory bodies like the Union Environment Ministry, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), and FSSAI maintain strict scrutiny on companies that are engaged in the R&D and manufacturing of seeds for such crops in order to ensure consumer safety. Also, any new manufacturer that wants to venture into the Indian Genetically Modified Food market will also need to align with the “Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989 (Rules, 1989)” Environment Protection Act. This puts a reasonable constraint on company expansion.