Farmers and environmentalists are against the production of genetically modified food products due to its adverse effect on consumer health and high production cost, while another group of scientists and researchers are batting for introduction of the same in India

The introduction of genetically modified (GM) food products have been in debate for a long time. However, the country is still in a state of uncertainty about the production of the GM food items at the home turf. According to a poll conducted by FoodProcessing360, 40% of the respondents are of the opinion that GM food products should be introduced in the domestic market, whereas 60% of the respondents disapproved the same.

Environmentalists and farmers opposed the introduction of GM food products in the Indian market. However, currently, a proposal has been put forward to produce Bt Brinjal for domestic consumers. Scientists and researchers have introduced a new variety of brinjal that is inserted with the gene called Cry 1Ac taken from the soil bacterium bacillus thuringiensis. It has been found that vegetables inserted with the gene are resistant against insects such as Leucinodes orbonalis and Helicoverpa armigera.

Impact of GM food products

According to Madhavan Deivasiga Mani, director of Natura Bio Tech, a mid-sized food grain manufacturer in Chennai, “GM food items should not be introduced in the domestic market as it may have an adverse effect on consumer health. It has been noted that GM seeds are expensive, which increases the production cost of crops. For these reasons, GM food items are not preferred in countries like Europe. India should instead adopt integrated cultivation, which includes inputs such as organic and inorganic nutrients facilitating soil conservation as well as boosting the yield of crops.”     

One group of scientists and researchers claim that the usage of GM seeds will reduce the usage of pesticides and fertilisers, which lowers the fertility of crops. However, GM seeds lack nutrients that are essential for consumers.

According to Murtaza Bharmal, CEO of M S Y Traders, a mid-sized agro food manufacturer and exporter in Pune, “Although the domestic agriculture industry is self-sufficient, proper implementation of public distribution system would ensure adequate supply of food grains for consumers.”

Therefore, the country should depend on its own natural agro food products, which consist of all the essential nutrients and is safe for human consumption, rather than depending on GM food items.

Sabrina Mitchell