Maharashtra Farmers Sow Unapproved GM Cotton, Brinjal

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has initiated a request for a comprehensive investigation concerning the illegal planting of Genetically Modified (GM) Cotton and Brinjal in Maharashtra. Over 1,000 farmers, under the guidance of the Shetkari Sanghtana farmer’s union, conducted a public sowing of these unapproved transgenic crops in Maharashtra’s Akola district. This act was seen as a form of protest against the central government’s delay in approving the succeeding iteration of Genetically Modified (GM) cotton. The farmers refer to their actions as a ‘civil disobedience’ movement.

GM Seeds Approval Process in India

The introduction of GM seeds in India is subject to approval by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), which operates under the jurisdiction of MoEFCC. As of 2019, commercial distribution of Bt cotton has been permitted, but approvals for Bt mustard and Bt brinjal remain pending.

The Three Generations of Bt Cotton

In the case of cotton, the first two Bt generations introduced the ‘Cry1Ab’ and ‘Cry2Bc’ genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Infusion of these genes into cotton seed led to a crop immune to the damaging effects of opportunistic pink bollworms. However, the arrival of the third Bt generation—herbicide tolerant Bt (HtBt) cotton—witnessed the integration of the ‘Cp4-Epsps’ gene from another soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This additional gene endowed the plant with the ability to withstand the harsh impacts of the herbicide glyphosate.

Unlike regular cotton, which is susceptible to glyphosate—the latter does not differentiate between a weed and the actual crop—HtBt cotton remains impervious to this herbicide. All three hybrids were developed by Bayer Monsanto, a leading US-based multinational. In 2013, the company submitted a proposal to GEAC seeking approval for the commercial distribution of Ht Bt. But due to numerous regulatory issues with the Indian government, it eventually withdrew its application.

Unauthorized Cultivation of Ht Bt Cotton

Despite its non-approval for commercial cultivation, several farmers in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have resorted to cultivating Ht Bt surreptitiously, using covertly obtained seeds. The Agricultural Commissioner of Maharashtra estimates that nearly 15% of the state’s total agricultural expanse (amounting to 40 lakh hectares) has been used in the cultivation of this unauthorized hybrid.

Allegations of GM Free India Coalition

Earlier, GM Free India Coalition raised concerns about suspected unregulated cultivation of Ht Bt cotton and Bt brinjal in several states including Maharashtra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. These allegations have not been addressed yet.