GEAC Allows New BT COTTON Cultivation After Court Order + Veg Oil Industry + Marine Fishing

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In This NEWS Bulletin ********************************* 1. After Supreme Court Order - BT Cotton gets green signal from regulator 2. Vegetable oil players head for Latin America 3. Centre proposes Act for regulate fishing in EEZs --------- After Supreme Court Order BT Cotton gets green signal from regulator http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=164563 ASHOK B

SHARMA Posted online: Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, MAY 18: The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) after getting green signal from the Supreme Court approved commercial cultivation of 53 Bt cotton in the current season. It also approved largescale field trials of 59 Bt cotton hybrids. It withheld the approval of genetically modified (GM) food crops and constituted an expert panel headed by the director of Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), BM Khadi to study the implications of the apex court order. It clarified seed production can be taken up in the areas of field trial, subject to the restriction of the quantity. In the current kharif (summer) season 18 new Bt cotton hybrids will be cultivated by farmers in north India. Among these are 13 hybrids with cry 1 Ac gene and MON 531 event, 4 hybrids expressing stacked genes

(cry 1 Ac + cry 2 Ab MON 15985 event) and one hybrid expressing cry 1 Ac and Event 1 - JKCH 1050 Bt - developed by JK Agri. In the central parts of the country, 35 new Bt cotton hybrids will be cultivated by farmers in this season. These include, 23 hybrids with cry 1 Ac gene and MON 531 event, 5 hybrids with stacked genes (cry 1 Ac + cry 1 Ab MON 15985), 4 hybrids expressing GFM event with cry 1 Ab + cry 1 Ac genes and 3 hybrids expressing cry 1 Ac gene with Event 1. The GEAC in its 76th meeting following the apex court verdict also renewed its permission for commercial cultivation of Mech-12 Bt in central India and Mech-184 Bt for both central and south India. Mech-12 Bt and Mech-184 Bt are developed by Mahyco-Monsanto and were suspended from cultivation in 2005 on account of its reported failure. The regulator also gave its nod for largescale field trials of 34 Bt cotton

cotton hybrids in north India. These include 24 hybrids with stacked genes cry 1 Ac + cry 2 Ab MON 15985 event, 7 hybrids with GFM event and cry 1 Ac + cry Ac genes and 2 hybrids expressing cry 1 Ac with Event 1. In central India field trials of 25 Bt cotton hybrids are approved which includes 18 with stacked cry 1 Ac = cry 2 Ab genes and MON 15985 event and 6 expressing GFM event with cry 1 Ab + cry 1 Ac genes. Navakar-5 Bt has been allowed for largescale field trials in both north and central India. ------------------- Vegetable oil players head for Latin America http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=164575 ASHOK B SHARMA

Posted online: Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, MAY 18: A 14-member delegation of the vegetable oil industry is leaving for a visit to Latin American countries on Saturday at the invitation of Argentina and Paraguay governments. They will catalyse the prospects of boosting bilateral trade. The vegetable oil industry of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil have also extended an invitation to the Indian industry. According to the president of the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), AR Sharma, the Indian delegation would study the operation of oils and oilseed complex, including farm practice, marketing of beans, oilmeals, infrastructure, port facilities in these countries. They will enhance mutual cooperation and exchange of market and technical information with the processors of soybean and sunflower seeds in particular.

The team will also interact with leading producers and exporters of oilmeals and vegetable oils and explore the possibility to enhance bilateral trade between India and Latin American countries. Presently India is importing about 1.5 to 2.0 million tonne of soybean oil mainly from Argentina and Brazil. Paraguay under agreement with India, will enjoy lower duty of 35% for export of soybean oil under TRQ for 30,000 tonnes, once members of Mercosur countries confirm the free trade agreement. India imports sunflower oil mainly from Argentina under TRQ at 50% import duty. These three Mercosur countries are very important from Indian view points to understand their vegetable oil economy, farm practice, productivity & marketing strength. They are major suppliers of soybean and sunflower oils and leading competitors in oilmeal export of oilmeals in the world

market.------------------------------- Centre proposes Act for regulate fishing in EEZs http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=164376 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online : Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, MAY 16: The government has planned to propose a new Act for regulating fisheries and fishing in the exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Speaking to the members of parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry on Tuesday, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said that institutional and legal mechanisms were being put in place to regulate deep sea fishing. Recently an inter-ministerial empowered

committee has been set up to oversee development of deep sea fishing. The National Fisheries Development Board, set up last year, would address development needs of deep-sea sector as well, he said. Emphasising the importance of deep-sea fishing, the minister explained that out of the country's marine fisheries potential at 3.93 million tonnes, about 3 million tonnes comes from the inshore belt where there was very little scope for further augmenting fish production. The major bulk of exploitable surplus of 0.8 million tonnes thus lies in the offshore/deep sea belt. Pawar said that effectively exploiting deep-sea fishing potential was a challenge because of its highly capital intensive and technology driven nature. Empowering the indigenous fleet for deep-sea fishing, acquisition of modern technology, human resource development and post harvest support including marketing support were the key elements for

developing our deep sea fishing sector, he said. ------------------------------

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