AP Govt mulling law to regulate GM crops

Hyderabad, June 14 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Government is considering enactment of law to regulate genetically-modified crops, including cotton, to protect the interests of small and marginal farmers.

Announcing this to newspersons here today, Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy, who returned from New Delhi, said as the GM crops were in the state list of subjects for legislation, the State government was consulting legal experts before deciding on the new piece of legislation to regulate GM crops and protect the environment.

Mr Reddy, who had met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar during his visit to the national capital, said the latter had agreed to positively consider Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's request for bringing cotton under the purview of the essential commodities Act.

Referring to the growing demand for Bascilus Thungensis(BT) cotton among farmers, he said the state government had made available 20 lakh quintals of the gentically-modified cotton seeds. Experiences in the last few years showed that though there was no quntum jump in productivity, farmers were able to save over Rs 3000 per acre on pesticides and labour for spraying.

Recalling the legal battle fought against those Multinational seed corporations selling BT seeds, he wanted the farmers not to purchase BT cotton seeds for more than Rs 750 per packet.

UNI