‘Unscientific criticism’ delays India’s approval of GMO mustard while import costs soar

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As controversy grips the indigenously-developed Genetically Modified (GM) mustard … the man who developed the variety has termed this an issue “which has gone too far”.

Dr. Deepak Pental, geneticist at Delhi University … led the team that developed Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH)-11.

… He stressed it is safe … and that “unscientific criticism” had been costing both science and farmers a fortune in the 14 years since it was developed.

“We are living in the age of misinformation. …one can say anything absurd and get away with it,” Pental said, when asked about the accusations of social and environment activists on the safety of GM Mustard.

Amid stiff opposition from the anti-GM lobby, the fate of the crop depends on a Union Environment Ministry committee.

. . . .

…India imported in 2015-16 edible oil worth Rs 68,000 crore ($10 billion), most coming from the GM crops….

“That money should have gone to the Indian farmers. The irony is that we are already consuming products from GM crops, including soybean and palm, imported from all over the world; yet (we are) opposing it here,” Pental said.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: Unscientific criticism has cost farmers a fortune: GM mustard developer

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