Pawar renews pitch for GM crops

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar made a yet another pitch on Tuesday for introducing the genetically-modified (GM) crop into the country to meet the foodgrain requirement for implementing the food security scheme.

Addressing the National Rabi Conference, Pawar said record production during the last few years has given confidence to the policy makers to roll out the ambitious food security bill.

While the current farm output was sufficient to meet the present food grain requirement, Pawar said the real challenge was to sustain the growth in food output despite the drought and floods.

The country’s food grain production stood at 255.36 million tonnes in 2012-13.

Stressing the need to boost farm productivity to meet the fast growing requirement, Pawar said “wherever feasible and considered advisable by our scientists based on field trials and otherwise, we should not hesitate in introducing GM crops to reap the benefits of scientific research in this area.”

“We have no choice but to follow scientific technologies to sustain foodgrain production with limited agricultural land and water resources,” Pawar, who has been batting for the GM technology, told reporters. So far, Bt cotton is the only crop that has been allowed for commercial cultivation in the country.

A technical expert committee (TEC) appointed by the Supreme Court had recently recommended an indefinite moratorium on the field trials of GM crops till the deficiency in the regulatory system and safety issues are addressed.

When asked about the TEC recommendations, Pawar said “The matter is before the court. We are waiting for the decision. We are trying to keep facts before the Court explaining importance of GM crops.” HBL

We need to increase farm productivity: Pawar

Q: Production of foodgrain has increased over the years (from 230.78 million tonnes in 2007-08 to 259.29 million tonnes in 2011-12). India also has buffer stock to meet demand in a bad crop year. Still, we have seen rise in price of foodgrain. What are the factors behind it?

Even as India has consistently been producing foodgrains in good quantity and increasing share of agriculture in its export basket (10.22% in 2008-09 to 13.8% in 2012-13), agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is a worried man. He is worried about the country's future, wondering whether India will be able to meet food demand of growing population with the current level of farm productivity. He knows the solution, but resistance to his ideas troubles him. He thinks it's high time to accelerate pace of agricultural growth to meet "additional requirement" of foodgrains for proper implementation of the Food Security Act. He knows farm productivity can be increased by introducing genetically modified (GM) crops, besides simultaneously taking other steps. He even pleads for taking some bold steps to reap benefits of scientific research and suggests measures which can bring "food and nutritional" security. He shared his views and concerns during an interview to the TOI. Excerpts:

A: It is due to the Minimum Support Price (MSP). We have increased MSP for various foodgrains so that farmers can get better price. In fact, the cost of cultivation has been increased due to high prices of diesel, fertilizers and other raw materials and high labour (minimum wages) cost. We have to factor in all these while deciding the MSP. If we don't increase it, farmers will shift to other (non-foodgrain) crops. It will further complicate the matter. You know MSP is the benchmark. Market price is always higher than the MSP. Farmers have benefited from it and therefore they stick to foodgrain cultivation.

Q: It is good that farmers are getting better price. But it, in a way, affects common consumers due to high market price. Can't we have a solution where all sections can benefit without facing the pinch of price rise?

A: Government procures substantial quantity of foodgrain at MSP and distributes it at cheaper rate through public distribution system across the country. Under Food Security Act, 82 crore people will now benefit from all these measures by getting foodgrain (rice, wheat and coarse grains) at cheap rates. Nowhere in the world is foodgrain available at such a cheap rate. Production of foodgrain has increased substantially in the past five-six years. We had 259.29 million tonnes of foodgrain production in 2011-12 which was the highest in 60 years. We have also become foodgrain exporter. In the year 2012-13, we exported agricultural produce worth Rs 2.32 lakh crore. We are, in fact, the largest exporter of rice and second largest exporter of cotton, sugar and wheat.

Q: Will the current level of production sustain the food requirement in future, taking into account our growing population and shrinking cultivable land?

A: Yes, this is a major concern. India accounts for only 2.4 % of the world's geographical area and 4% of its water resources, but supports about 17% of the world's population. We cannot expand land. That's why I have consistently been telling my colleagues (in the Cabinet) to think about it and take adequate measures. We have to increase productivity. We have to take four measures. First, we have to improve irrigation facility and bring more and more area under irrigation, taking into account the limited availability of water resources. And for this, we need more investment. Second, we have to lay emphasis on research so that our scientists can develop new varieties of seeds. Third, we have to ensure availability of fertilizers. Finally, we have to constantly offer better MSP to farmers. I firmly believe that if we follow these measures, our food security obligations can easily be sustainable.

Q: As far as better quality of seeds are concerned, Indian scientists and their counterparts in other countries have come out with many transgenic (genetically modified) varieties which can increase productivity. But there has been lot of resistance to it in India. What is your stand?

A: As far as GM crops are concerned, it should be the responsibility of any government to take maximum precaution to see its impact before releasing such seeds for commercial production. Take number of years of field trials to see whether these transgenic varieties have any bad impact on soil, water, other crops, human being, birds, animals and overall environment. One has to thoroughly check all these for years. And if we come to the conclusion after field trials that it does not affect human health and environment, then we don't have choice but we have to use GM seeds to increase productivity. TOI

Adopt GM crops to meet food requirement under food law: Sharad Pawar

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said the country should adopt genetically modified (GM) crops in order to meet extra requirement of foodgrains under the landmark food security law.

"We have to accelerate the pace of agricultural growth on sustainable basis to meet the additional requirement of foodgrain for proper implementation of the Food Security Act," Pawar said addressing a national rabi conference.

Stating that the government is "very conservative" on GM crops, he however advocated: "Wherever feasible and considered advisable by our scientists, based on field trials and otherwise, we should not hesitate in introducing GM crops to reap the benefits of scientific research in this area."

The current production levels are more or less sufficient to meet the current requirements. However, the real challenge is to sustain this growth despite occurrence of drought and floods, he added.

The government has allowed commercial cultivation of Bt cotton, while moratorium has been put on Bt brinjal. Permission has been given to private companies to conduct field trials of GM crops such as cotton, corn and maize in Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

However, a technical committee appointed by the Supreme Court had recently recommended an indefinite moratorium on open field trials of GM crops till the deficiencies in the regulatory and safety systems are effectively addressed.

Asked about the Supreme Court panel's recommendations, Pawar said: "The matter is before the court. We are waiting for the decision. We are trying to keep facts before the Court explaining importance of GM crops."

The country has "no choice" but to follow scientific technologies to sustain foodgrain production in limited agricultural land and water resources, he told reporters on the sideline of a conference on rabi crops here.

The ambitious food law -- considered as 'game-changer' by the Congress-ruled UPA government and described by the Opposition parties as 'political gimmick' ahead of 2014 general elections -- aims to provide a legal right over cheaper foodgrains to about 82 crore people.

Foodgrain production stood at 255.36 million tonnes in 2012-13 crop year (July-June). PTI