India must insist on ban on terminator seeds:SAGE

Hyderabad, Mar 16 (UNI) The South Against Genetic Engineering (SAGE) today demanded that the Indian delegation,to the convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Brazil, must demand a ban on terminator seeds.

Addressing the press here, SAGE Convenor PV Sateesh alleged that the US was conspiring to annul the worldwide ban on terminator seeds, in place since 1999, with the support of Canada, Australia and New Zealand at the Convention.

If the terminator seeds enter the market, the farming community would face a serious threat, he claimed.

Stating that SAGE has launched a ''five lakh signatures'' campaign against the terminator seeds, to be submitted to the Prime minister Manmohan Singh on March 20, he said the technology must continue to be banned in the interest of conservation of bio-diversity, farming community and uncontaminated environment.

US-based Delta and Pineland companies were the only producers of the seeds in the world, Mr Sateesh said, adding US was conspiring to destroy India's rich seed heritage and people-controlled agriculture.

UNI AP VV VD BST1647