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Moderated conference on GMOs in the pipeline, hosted by the FAO Biotechnology Forum in 2012

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Biotech-Mod2 <[log in to unmask]>
Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:10:43 +0100
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Tassawar Malik here. I am a cotton geneticist and have been engaged in official testing and release of Bt cotton in Pakistan since 2008. Also developed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for testing and release of GM crops in Pakistan. Now working as Consultant in the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)'s Pak-US Cotton Productivity Enhancement Programme (2010-15) at Islamabad, Pakistan.
 
I will like to discuss Bt brinjal case. Can anybody from India guide what's the position of the government /regulating authorities in putting moratorium on Bt brinjal. Were they not satisfied with the biosafety results or some other genuine issue. 
 
Another crazy thing that has been (unofficially) reported here in Pakistan is that Bt brinjal seeds are being exported to Pakistan/ imported by Pakistani seed merchants through the Lahore boarder without any official record etc. Some researchers collected samples from the Lahore and surrounding markets to confirm the presence of the Bt gene. If Indian authorities are not comfortable with its release, its multiplication and export may be checked from both countries. One can guess that unofficial cultivation of Bt brinjal must be continuing in India as the seeds once spread in the farming community cannot be withdrawn.
 
One more suggestion. Genetic modifications are carried to usually to get rid of some serious stress(es). Is it possible that when that particular stress, for example fruit and shoot borer (FSB) in case of brinjal issue is totally resolved by Bt brinjal, the authorities, if not satisfied, may consider the replanting of non-Bt (traditional) seeds as they will be expected to be free from the insect/borer damage now. Is it possible in case of other crops as well?
  
Dr.Tassawar H. Malik
(Director Research -HQ, Pakistan Central Cotton Committee)
Consultant, Pak-US Cotton R&D Project
ICARDA-Pakistan Office, 
National Agricultural Research Center (NARC)
Park Road, Islamabad
Pakistan
Tel/Fax: 92-51-9255178
e-mail: Dtmalik (at) gmail.com 
Skype/Linkedin: dtmalik
   
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