There’s a novel experiment underway in an acre-and-a-half at Jind’s Nidana village.

Haryana Chief Secretary SC Chaudhary approved Rs 52.11 crores action plan under the State Food Security Mission for 2014-15.

According to a release here today, crops in seven districts had failed causing huge losses to cotton growers. Following this, affected farmers, who had sown Mahyco’s seeds, complained to the Department of Agriculture and a survey established that crops had failed owing to the substandard quality of seeds of the Maharashtra-based seed company.

Environmental group Greenpeace today moved the Election Commission, seeking annulment of the GEAC decision to revalidate the field trials for ten varieties of genetically modified (GM) food crops.

At least 13 varieties are slated for GEAC nod after a long while but states have to also agree; biotech sector waits eagerly

Even as the government prepares to give a final nod to field trials for at least 13 crop varieties in the next meeting of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), on March 21, the road ahead for genetically modified (GM) varieties is still bumpy.

Says genetically modified crops have an adverse impact on human health

The coalition for a gene modification (GM) Free India in the state has begun holding a series of public meetings to oppose GM field trials. The Environment Ministry had allowed gene modification (GM) trials of more than 200 varieties of rice, wheat, maize, castor and cotton, among other crops last week. Punjab is one of the states that agreed to these field trials.

Thirty-five agricultural scientists, most of them associated with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), on Tuesday mooted the continuation of field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops under their guidance, without a no-objection certificate (NoC) from the respective state governments.

“Agriculture is a state subject, and state agricultural universities and agriculture departments of respective states must involve themselves in field trials for GM crops without losing time.

Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) is seeking regulatory approvals for field trials in genetically modified (GM) rice and cotton lines that can grow under water-stressed and saline environme