Latest news with #GMO-free
News18
06-07-2025
- Business
- News18
GTRI Cautions Against Imports Of GM Farm Products From US; May Affect India's Agri Exports
Agency: PTI GTRI says allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to EU. Economic think tank GTRI on Saturday cautioned that allowing genetically modified (GM) farm products from the US under the proposed trade pact would have implications for India as it may affect the country's agri exports to regions like the European Union. India and the US are negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to the European Union (EU), a key destination for Indian exporters. DDGS is a by-product made during ethanol production, usually from corn or other grains. The EU has strict GM labelling rules and strong consumer resistance to GM-linked products. Even though GM feed is permitted, many European buyers prefer fully GM-free supply chains. India's fragmented agri-logistics and lack of segregation infrastructure make cross-contamination likely, risking trace GM presence in export consignments, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. 'This could lead to shipment rejections, higher testing costs, and erosion of India's GMO-free image, especially in sensitive sectors like rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods. Without robust traceability and labeling systems, GM feed imports could hurt India's export competitiveness in the EU," he said. For instance, the BT gene from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis enables the plant to produce a protein toxic to certain pests. Other genes, including those from soil bacteria, have been used to make crops resistant to herbicides, he said. He added that while GM crops are biologically plant-based and function as vegetarian food, the fact that some contain genes of animal origin means they may not be acceptable to communities or individuals that adhere strictly to religious or ethical definitions of vegetarianism. Srivastava further said research suggests that GM DNA is broken down during digestion and does not enter the animal's meat, milk, or produce. 'Therefore, foods like milk or chicken are not classified as GM, even if the animals were fed GM feed. However, critics argue that this blurs the line for consumers who wish to avoid GM-associated products entirely," he said. On whether seeds harvested from genetically modified crops be reused for future sowing, he said GM seeds are generally not reusable due to legal and biological reasons. 'They are patented and sold under contracts that prohibit saving and replanting. Even if reused, many GM crops are hybrids, and their saved seeds often perform poorly. In India, Bt cotton is the only approved GM crop, and while farmers have tried reusing its seeds, results are substandard," he said. Further, he said the risk of contamination remains a concern worldwide. Srivastava said that GM and non-GM crops can intermingle at various points in the supply chain, especially during transport, storage, or processing. He added that in India, the current policy is relatively conservative and only one GM crop – Bt cotton – is approved for cultivation. 'No GM food crop is commercially cultivated, although experimental trials are ongoing. Import of GM soybean oil and canola oil are permitted," the GTRI said adding imports of GM grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, and similar food/feed products are not allowed. GM feed materials such as soybean meal and DDGS are currently banned.
Economic Times
05-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
India, US trade deal may backfire on EU exports if India opens door to GM feed: GTRI
GTRI cautions that allowing US GM farm products under a trade pact could harm India's agri exports to the EU due to strict GM labeling and consumer resistance. Cross-contamination risks from India's weak agri-logistics could lead to shipment rejections and damage India's GMO-free image. Currently, India only allows Bt cotton cultivation and imports of GM soybean and canola oil. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Also Read: India and Trump are haggling over the same constituency Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India risks losing its export competitiveness in the European market if it allows genetically modified (GM) animal feed imports from the United States under the upcoming trade deal, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative ( GTRI ). The economic think tank issued a cautionary statement on Saturday, highlighting the impact such a move could have on India's agricultural shipments to key markets like the European Union (EU), known for its strict stance on genetically modified and the US are currently negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. Among the proposals being considered is the import of GM-derived products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a by-product made during ethanol production, usually from corn or other grains, for use in animal founder Ajay Srivastava said the consequences of such imports could be severe for India's agri-export sector, especially when it comes to European buyers who maintain strong resistance to GM-linked products. While GM feed is technically permitted in the EU, many European consumers prefer fully GM-free supply chains, and the region enforces stringent GM labelling warned that India's fragmented agricultural logistics network and absence of proper segregation systems increase the risk of cross-contamination. This could lead to trace GM presence in export consignments, potentially triggering shipment rejections and additional testing expenses. More importantly, it could damage India's image as a GMO-free supplier in sensitive segments such as rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods."This could lead to shipment rejections, higher testing costs, and erosion of India's GMO-free image, especially in sensitive sectors like rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods. Without robust traceability and labeling systems, GM feed imports could hurt India's export competitiveness in the EU," Srivastava described genetically modified crops as plants that have been engineered by introducing specific genes—often from bacteria, viruses, other plants, or in some cases, animals—into their DNA to give them traits such as pest resistance or tolerance to herbicides. For example, the BT gene from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis allows the plant to produce a protein toxic to specific insects. Genes from soil bacteria have also been used to help plants survive clarified that although GM crops are biologically plant-based and considered vegetarian, the presence of animal-origin genes in some crops might pose issues for communities or individuals with strict religious or ethical interpretations of added that studies suggest GM DNA breaks down during digestion and does not enter the animal's meat, milk, or other produce. "Therefore, foods like milk or chicken are not classified as GM, even if the animals were fed GM feed. However, critics argue that this blurs the line for consumers who wish to avoid GM-associated products entirely," he whether farmers can reuse seeds from genetically modified crops, Srivastava said GM seeds are usually not reusable for both legal and biological reasons. They are often patented and sold with contracts that forbid saving and replanting. Additionally, many GM crops are hybrids, and seeds collected from them generally perform poorly when reused. He pointed out that in India, Bt cotton is the only GM crop officially approved for cultivation. Though some farmers have attempted to reuse Bt cotton seeds, the results have typically been said contamination risks persist globally, as GM and non-GM crops can mix at various stages including transport, storage, and to GTRI, India maintains a cautious stance on GM crops. Currently, only Bt cotton is approved for cultivation, and no GM food crop has received commercial approval, though field trials are ongoing. The country allows imports of genetically modified soybean oil and canola oil, but does not permit imports of GM grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, or other food and feed feed materials like soybean meal and DDGS remain banned, Srivastava said.(with PTI inputs)
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
GTRI cautions against imports of GM farm products from U.S.; may affect India's agricultural exports
Economic think tank GTRI on Saturday (July 5, 2025) cautioned that allowing genetically modified (GM) farm products from the US under the proposed trade pact would have implications for India as it may affect the country's agri exports to regions like the European Union. India and the U.S. are negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to the European Union (EU), a key destination for Indian exporters. DDGS is a by-product made during ethanol production, usually from corn or other grains. The EU has strict GM labelling rules and strong consumer resistance to GM-linked products. Even though GM feed is permitted, many European buyers prefer fully GM-free supply chains. India's fragmented agri-logistics and lack of segregation infrastructure make cross-contamination likely, risking trace GM presence in export consignments, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. "This could lead to shipment rejections, higher testing costs, and erosion of India's GMO-free image, especially in sensitive sectors like rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods. Without robust traceability and labelling systems, GM feed imports could hurt India's export competitiveness in the EU," he said. Genetically modified crops are created by inserting specific genes, often from bacteria, viruses, other plants, or occasionally animals, into a plant's DNA to introduce new traits, such as pest resistance or herbicide tolerance. For instance, the BT gene from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis enables the plant to produce a protein toxic to certain pests. Other genes, including those from soil bacteria, have been used to make crops resistant to herbicides, he said. He added that while GM crops are biologically plant-based and function as vegetarian food, the fact that some contain genes of animal origin means they may not be acceptable to communities or individuals that adhere strictly to religious or ethical definitions of vegetarianism. Mr. Srivastava further said research suggests that GM DNA is broken down during digestion and does not enter the animal's meat, milk, or produce. "Therefore, foods like milk or chicken are not classified as GM, even if the animals were fed GM feed. However, critics argue that this blurs the line for consumers who wish to avoid GM-associated products entirely," he said. On whether seeds harvested from genetically modified crops be reused for future sowing, he said GM seeds are generally not reusable due to legal and biological reasons. "They are patented and sold under contracts that prohibit saving and replanting. Even if reused, many GM crops are hybrids, and their saved seeds often perform poorly. In India, BT cotton is the only approved GM crop, and while farmers have tried reusing its seeds, results are substandard," he said. Further, he said the risk of contamination remains a concern worldwide. Mr. Srivastava said that GM and non-GM crops can intermingle at various points in the supply chain, especially during transport, storage, or processing. He added that in India, the current policy is relatively conservative and only one GM crop — BT cotton — is approved for cultivation. "No GM food crop is commercially cultivated, although experimental trials are ongoing. Import of GM soybean oil and canola oil are permitted," the GTRI said adding imports of GM grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, and similar food/feed products are not allowed. GM feed materials such as soybean meal and DDGS are currently banned.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India, US trade deal may backfire on EU exports if India opens door to GM feed: GTRI
India risks losing its export competitiveness in the European market if it allows genetically modified (GM) animal feed imports from the United States under the upcoming trade deal, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative ( GTRI ). The economic think tank issued a cautionary statement on Saturday, highlighting the impact such a move could have on India's agricultural shipments to key markets like the European Union (EU), known for its strict stance on genetically modified products. India and the US are currently negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. Among the proposals being considered is the import of GM-derived products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a by-product made during ethanol production, usually from corn or other grains, for use in animal feed. GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said the consequences of such imports could be severe for India's agri-export sector, especially when it comes to European buyers who maintain strong resistance to GM-linked products. While GM feed is technically permitted in the EU, many European consumers prefer fully GM-free supply chains, and the region enforces stringent GM labelling regulations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Prince William & Kate Met Princess Diana's Secret Daughter. Plays Star Undo Srivastava warned that India's fragmented agricultural logistics network and absence of proper segregation systems increase the risk of cross-contamination. This could lead to trace GM presence in export consignments, potentially triggering shipment rejections and additional testing expenses. More importantly, it could damage India's image as a GMO-free supplier in sensitive segments such as rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods. "This could lead to shipment rejections, higher testing costs, and erosion of India's GMO-free image, especially in sensitive sectors like rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods. Without robust traceability and labeling systems, GM feed imports could hurt India's export competitiveness in the EU," Srivastava said. Live Events You Might Also Like: India weighs GM-free 'self-certification' for US food imports He described genetically modified crops as plants that have been engineered by introducing specific genes—often from bacteria, viruses, other plants, or in some cases, animals—into their DNA to give them traits such as pest resistance or tolerance to herbicides. For example, the BT gene from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis allows the plant to produce a protein toxic to specific insects. Genes from soil bacteria have also been used to help plants survive herbicides. Srivastava clarified that although GM crops are biologically plant-based and considered vegetarian, the presence of animal-origin genes in some crops might pose issues for communities or individuals with strict religious or ethical interpretations of vegetarianism. He added that studies suggest GM DNA breaks down during digestion and does not enter the animal's meat, milk, or other produce. "Therefore, foods like milk or chicken are not classified as GM, even if the animals were fed GM feed. However, critics argue that this blurs the line for consumers who wish to avoid GM-associated products entirely," he said. On whether farmers can reuse seeds from genetically modified crops, Srivastava said GM seeds are usually not reusable for both legal and biological reasons. They are often patented and sold with contracts that forbid saving and replanting. Additionally, many GM crops are hybrids, and seeds collected from them generally perform poorly when reused. He pointed out that in India, Bt cotton is the only GM crop officially approved for cultivation. Though some farmers have attempted to reuse Bt cotton seeds, the results have typically been substandard. You Might Also Like: India and Trump are haggling over the same constituency Srivastava said contamination risks persist globally, as GM and non-GM crops can mix at various stages including transport, storage, and processing. According to GTRI, India maintains a cautious stance on GM crops. Currently, only Bt cotton is approved for cultivation, and no GM food crop has received commercial approval, though field trials are ongoing. The country allows imports of genetically modified soybean oil and canola oil, but does not permit imports of GM grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, or other food and feed products. GM feed materials like soybean meal and DDGS remain banned, Srivastava said. You Might Also Like: Refrain from signing trade pact with US: Kerala to Centre India may allow GM animal-feed imports from US in trade deal (with PTI inputs)
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Business Standard
05-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
GTRI warns against US GM farm imports, cites risk to India's agri exports
Economic think tank GTRI on Saturday cautioned that allowing genetically modified (GM) farm products from the US under the proposed trade pact would have implications for India as it may affect the country's agri exports to regions like the European Union. India and the US are negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to the European Union (EU), a key destination for Indian exporters. DDGS is a by-product made during ethanol production, usually from corn or other grains. The EU has strict GM labelling rules and strong consumer resistance to GM-linked products. Even though GM feed is permitted, many European buyers prefer fully GM-free supply chains. India's fragmented agri-logistics and lack of segregation infrastructure make cross-contamination likely, risking trace GM presence in export consignments, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. "This could lead to shipment rejections, higher testing costs, and erosion of India's GMO-free image, especially in sensitive sectors like rice, tea, honey, spices, and organic foods. Without robust traceability and labeling systems, GM feed imports could hurt India's export competitiveness in the EU," he said. Genetically modified crops are created by inserting specific genes, often from bacteria, viruses, other plants, or occasionally animals, into a plant's DNA to introduce new traits, such as pest resistance or herbicide tolerance. For instance, the BT gene from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis enables the plant to produce a protein toxic to certain pests. Other genes, including those from soil bacteria, have been used to make crops resistant to herbicides, he said. He added that while GM crops are biologically plant-based and function as vegetarian food, the fact that some contain genes of animal origin means they may not be acceptable to communities or individuals that adhere strictly to religious or ethical definitions of vegetarianism. Srivastava further said research suggests that GM DNA is broken down during digestion and does not enter the animal's meat, milk, or produce. "Therefore, foods like milk or chicken are not classified as GM, even if the animals were fed GM feed. However, critics argue that this blurs the line for consumers who wish to avoid GM-associated products entirely," he said. On whether seeds harvested from genetically modified crops be reused for future sowing, he said GM seeds are generally not reusable due to legal and biological reasons. "They are patented and sold under contracts that prohibit saving and replanting. Even if reused, many GM crops are hybrids, and their saved seeds often perform poorly. In India, Bt cotton is the only approved GM crop, and while farmers have tried reusing its seeds, results are substandard," he said. Further, he said the risk of contamination remains a concern worldwide. Srivastava said that GM and non-GM crops can intermingle at various points in the supply chain, especially during transport, storage, or processing. He added that in India, the current policy is relatively conservative and only one GM crop - Bt cotton - is approved for cultivation. "No GM food crop is commercially cultivated, although experimental trials are ongoing. Import of GM soybean oil and canola oil are permitted," the GTRI said adding imports of GM grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, and similar food/feed products are not allowed. GM feed materials such as soybean meal and DDGS are currently banned. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
