The humble vaingan has sparked a virtual war between those who oppose the introduction of the first genetically modified (GM) vegetable, and those who see it as a new horizon of hope for increasing brinjal output by over 50 per cent. The Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) Brinjal, a genetically modified version of the vegetable, is waiting in the wings to be commercially marketed.

Government must handle GM foods with care
Business Standard / New Delhi February 3, 2010, 0:37 IST

RASHME SEHGAL

With an agricultural crisis facing them on their face, state governments are not in the mood to antagonise their farmers and are saying no to Bt brinjal.

Kirtika Suneja & Kalpana Jain / New Delhi January 7, 2010, 0:25 IST

Environment and Forests minister Jairam Ramesh will start public consultations from January 13 in seven different cities in India before deciding whether to give the final nod to commercialisation of genetically modified (Bt) brinjal.

A coalition of organizations opposed to genetically modified food in India has written to the minister of state for environment and forests seeking withdrawal of clearance given to Bt brinjal. The Coalition for GM-free India alleged the expert committee that cleared the genetically modified brinjal for commercial cultivation in the country was neither impartial nor thorough.

Sanjay Jog / Mumbai December 30, 2009, 0:39 IST

Amid growing opposition to the human consumption of genetically-modified brinjal, also referred to as Bt brinjal, in various quarters, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh will travel across the country in January to hold consultations.

As agriculture universities transform local varieties into genetically modified Bt brinjal, questions of ownership arise

The Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company Limited, popularly known as Mahyco, has a remarkable history in many ways. It was set up in 1964 by a man with farming but no business experience, and at a time when public sector research institutions and government seed companies dominated Indian agriculture.

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee

Lobbying for and against the GM food peaks in the run up to the final clearanceEven as it appears that brinjal is set to become the first genetically modified (GM) food to be approved for commercial production in India, lobbying against the final nod by the government has reached a feverish pitch.

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