Lok Sabha Question No. 1746 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-26
Subject: Food and Seed Irradiations
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY, PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1746

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2017

## FOOD AND SEED IRRADIATIONS

1746 . SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY: SHRI P.K. BIJU:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  use  of  radiation in agriculture has  resulted in  developing improved  varieties  of  seeds  resulting  in  increase  in  the  Gross  Domestic Product (GDP) of the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the different varieties of seeds that have been improved by the Department using this technology;
- (c) whether these seeds have any hazardous effect on the human health and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the precautions that are being taken to avoid these health hazards; and
- (e) the details of food irradiation centres in the country, State/UT-wise along with the steps taken by the Government to build more such centres ?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH) :

- a ( ) Y es Sir, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is actively working in this area.  Using  radiation  induced  mutagenesis  along  with  cross  breeding, BARC has developed several varieties  of  oilseeds,  pulses,  rice  and  jute, which  have  been  released  and  notified  for  commercial  cultivation  across the country. The major desirable traits in these crops include higher yield, seed  size,  improved  agronomic  and  quality  traits,  early  maturity  and resistance  to  biotic  and  abiotic  stresses.  Several  of  these  varieties  enjoy high patronage among  the farming community and are extensively cultivated in the country and contribute substantially to the total agricultural production in the country. BARC  is  also involved in breeder seed multiplication of its released varieties in the case of crops such as ground nuts and pulses.

According to IMF, GDP is a monetary measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a period (quarterly or yearly). Viewed in this context, the improved varieties of crops have substantially contributed to the GDP of the country.

- (b) Using mutation (and conventional) breeding, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)  has  developed  42  new  varieties  of  crops.  These  varieties  include oilseeds  (groundnut,  mustard,  soybean  and  sunflower),  pulses  (urdbean, mungbean, pigeonpea, cowpea), rice and jute.
- c d ( )&( ) Mutation breeding through nuclear radiation is mostly done using gamma rays or other ionizing radiations such as electron beam. The method does not  render  the  irradiated  material  radioactive;  it  also  does  not  involve insertion  of  foreign  gene  into  the  plant  being  improved.  Irradiation  only increases  the  rate  of  mutation  inside  target  cells.  Mutation  is  a  natural process and, therefore, acceleration of the process using a radiation source is  a  widely  accepted  method  of  producing  variability  in  the  population. Plants  showing  favourable  traits  are  selected  and  cultivated,  ultimately culminating in the production  of new  varieties.  The  plants  are also extensively tested for various parameters, including nutritional quality of the food,  before  they  are  released.  Therefore,  there  is  no  health  hazard  to humans and animals that consume the food.
- e ( ) List of Food Irradiation Plants in the country:

|   S. No. | Name of the Plant                                                | Purpose                            | State/UT    | Status/ Remarks       |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|-------------|-----------------------|
|        1 | Radiation Processing Plant, BRIT, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400075    | Food and allied products           | Maharashtra | Commissioned in 2000  |
|        2 | *KRUSHAK Irradiator, Lasalgaon, Nashik - 411037, Maharashtra     | Food Products                      | Maharashtra | Commissioned in 2002  |
|        3 | M/S A.V. Processors Pvt. Ltd., Ambernath (E), Thane, Maharashtra | Food & Medical Products            | Maharashtra | Commissioned In 2005  |
|        4 | *M/S Agrosurg Irradiators, Vasai, Thane, Maharashtra             | Food, Packaging & Medical Products | Maharashtra | Commissioned In 2008. |

|   5 | *M/S Hindustan Agro Co-Operative Ltd., Rahuri, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra   | Onion & Other Agricultural Produces   | Maharashtra   | Commissioned in 2012   |
|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------|------------------------|
|   6 | *Maharashtra State Agricultural Mktg. Board, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra    | Food Products                         | Maharashtra   | Commissioned in 2015   |
|   7 | M/S Universal Medicap Ltd., Vadodara, Gujarat                            | Food & Medical Products               | Gujarat       | Commissioned In 2005.  |
|   8 | *M/S Gujarat Agro Industries Corpn. Ltd, Bavla, Ahmedabad, Gujarat       | Food Products                         | Gujarat       | Commissioned in 2014   |
|   9 | M/S. Microtrol, Bangalore, Karnataka                                     | Food & Medical Products               | Karnataka     | Commissioned In 2006   |
|  10 | M/S Innova Agri Bio Park Ltd., Malur, Dist. Kolar, Karnataka             | Food & Medical Products               | Karnataka     | Commissioned In 2011   |
|  11 | M/S Gamma Agro Medical Processing, Hyderabad, Telangana                  | Food & Medical Products               | Telangana     | Commissioned In 2008.  |
|  12 | *M/S Jhunsons Chemicals Pvt Ltd., Bhiwadi, Rajasthan                     | Agro, Medical & Packaging Products    | Rajasthan     | Commissioned In 2010   |
|  13 | M/S Organic Green Foods Ltd., Dankuni, Kolkata, West Bengal              | Food, Packaging & Medical Products    | West Bengal   | Commissioned In 2004   |
|  14 | M/S Impartial Agro Tech (P) Ltd., Unnao, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh          | Food & Medical Products               | Uttar Pradesh | Commissioned in 2014   |
|  15 | M/s Aligned Industries, Dharuhera, Rewari, Haryana                       | Food Products                         | Haryana       | Commissioned in 2015   |

F * acility for low dose irradiation (for mango, Onion, Potato etc.)

The  setting  of  more  such  facilities  will  depend  upon  the  involvement  of entrepreneurs.  The  process  of  setting  a  facility  takes  about  2-3  years.  This would include from site selection, clearances, construction of the facility and in obtaining necessary documentations and licenses. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre  (BARC)  and  Board  of  Radiation  &  Isotope  Technology  (BRIT)  can provide the scientific and technical assistance.

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