Lok Sabha Question No. 319 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Field Trials of GM Crops
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SANKAR PRASAD DATTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 319

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2017

## Field Trials of GM Crops

## 319. SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the  norms/guidelines regulating the field trials  of  Genetically  Modified  (GM) crops;
- (b) the present status of field trials of 13 GM food crops including mustard and brinjal;
- (c) the  details  of  crops  subjected  to  GM  field  trials  and  the  organizations/States involved therein;
- (d) whether certain States/agencies/experts have expressed their reservations over introduction and field trials of GM crops; and
- (e) if  so,  the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto including the steps taken to address the objections/concerns?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR  ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) All  Genetically  Engineered  (GE)  products  in  India  are  regulated  under  the Rules  for  Manufacture,  Use,  Export,  Import  and  Storage  of  Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically  Engineered  Organisms  or  cells  (Rules  1989), made under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The field trials of GE crops are regulated under Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for confined field trials of regulated, GE plants, 2008.
- (b) At  present,  two  field  trials  are  being  conducted  on  Genetically  Modified (GM) Maize at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. Other GM food Crops including mustard and brinjal are not under field trials at present.
- (c) The details of crops subjected to GM field trials and the organizations/state involved therein are enclosed at Annexure I.
- (d)& (e) This Ministry is not aware about reservations over field trials of GM Crops. However, No Objection Certificate (NOC) from State Government is required to conduct confined field trials.

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## Details of GE crops subjected to field trials and the Organizations/ States involved therein

| Name of the crop   | Organization/ State                                                                                        |
|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Cauliflower        | Nunhems India Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon/ Haryana and H.P.                                                           |
| Cauliflower        | M/s. Sungro Seeds Ltd., Delhi/ Haryana and Karnataka                                                       |
| Cabbage            | Nunhems India Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon/Haryana & HP                                                                |
| Cabbage            | M/s. Sungro Seeds Ltd., Delhi/ Haryana and Karnataka                                                       |
| Castor             | Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad/ A.P.                                                          |
| Groundnut          | ICRISAT, Patancheru/A.P.                                                                                   |
| Brinjal            | Mahyco, Mumbai/ Maharashtra, TN, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, MP,Rajasthan andAP                            |
| Brinjal            | M/s. Sungro Seeds Ltd., Delhi/ Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Delhi and Karnataka                         |
| Brinjal            | BejoSheetal Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Jalna/ Maharashtra, A.P. , U.P and IARI, New Delhi                            |
| Maize              | Dow AgroSciences India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai/ Tamil Nadu and Karnataka                                         |
|                    | Pioneer Overseas Corporation, Hyderabad/ Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka/ A.P/Gujarat/ Haryana and Punjab |
|                    | Monsanto India Ltd., New Delhi/ M.P., Haryana and Tamil Nadu                                               |
|                    | Monsanto India Ltd., New Delhi/ Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra                                      |
|                    | Syngenta Biosciences Pvt. Ltd., Pune/ U.P., Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab                |
| Cotton             | Dow AgroSciences India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai/ Maharashtra and Gujarat                                          |
| Cotton             | JK Agri Genetics Ltd., Hyderabad/ Punjab and Rajasthan                                                     |
| Cotton             | Mahyco, Mumbai/ Gujarat, AP                                                                                |
| Cotton             | Bayer Bioscience Pvt Ltd., Gurgaon/ A.P, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat                                          |
| Cotton             | Metahelix Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore/ A.P.                                                          |
| Cotton             | M/s. Mahyco, Mumbai/ A.P, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra.                                           |
| Cotton             | M/s. Bayer Bioscience Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon / Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat                                        |
| Cotton             | University of Agriculture Sciences, Dharwad/ Karnataka                                                     |
| Cotton             | M/s. Monsanto Holding Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi/ Maharashtra, Punjab                                            |
| Chickpea           | M/s. Sungro Seeds Ltd., Delhi / A.P.                                                                       |
| Chickpea           | ICRISAT, Patancheru/A.P.                                                                                   |
| Mustard            | IARI, New Delhi/ Haryana and Punjab                                                                        |
| Mustard            | University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi/Rajasthan                                                      |
| Rice               | Mahyco, Mumbai/ A.P.                                                                                       |
| Rice               | Bayer Bioscience Pvt Ltd., Gurgaon/ A.P. and Karnataka                                                     |
| Rice               | DuPont Knowledge Center, Hyderabad/ A.P., Karnataka                                                        |
| Rice               | Bayer Bioscience Pvt Ltd., Gurgaon/ Maharashtra                                                            |
| Rice               | M/s. Mahyco, Mumbai/ Maharashtra                                                                           |
| Sorghum            | National Research Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad/ A.P.                                                      |
| Pigeonpea          | ICRISAT, Patancheru/A.P.                                                                                   |