Clear policy on GM needed; hybrid technology has huge potential: Dr. R S Paroda

Dr. R.S. Paroda, Chairman of Trust for Advancement in Agricultural Sciences (TAAS) and former Director General of ICAR, has said that there is a need for a clear national policy on genetically modified (GM) technology in the country. We need to make it clear whether we want to move forward on this technology or not. Along with this, he said that hybrid technology has great possibilities for developing more productive crops. We have achieved results of higher production by using hybrid seeds in many crops in the country, there are examples of its success in the case of maize, cotton, vegetables and coarse grains. Along with this, he emphasized that we need to increase the budget of ICAR, there is a need to give incentives like tax exemption to the seed industry and promote public private partnership.

He delivered the presidential address in the inaugural session of the three days 'National Symposium on Hybrid Technology for Enhancing Crop Productivity', which started in Delhi on Wednesday. Prime Minister's Principal Secretary P.K. Mishra was the chief guest in this session.

Dr Paroda said that India has achieved great success in hybrid technology. Millet, castor and cotton are big examples of these. Along with this, India has succeeded in increasing the productivity of maize. At one time, the productivity of maize in our country was one ton per hectare, whereas in America it was ten tons per hectare. After getting assurance on the IPR issues private sector companies introduced single cross hybrid seed of maize varieties in the market. Now the average productivity of maize in the country has become 3.5 tons. Whereas in Bihar, the productivity of winter crop of maize has reached above seven tons. India has been far ahead in developing hybrid varieties of rice. In China, 50 percent of the rice area has come under hybrid rice. Whereas in India we are still far behind. Hybrid is an important technology for increasing productivity and it is not controversial either.

Referring to BT cotton, he said that due to the approval of GM cotton, we had become the world's largest cotton producer by increasing production, but due to no new event being approved for the last decade, our production has decreased and China has gone ahead of us. The government should bring a clear policy regarding GM varieties so that it is clear whether to move forward on it or not. There is a case going on in the Supreme Court on this issue of GM crops. While the government has approved the GM variety of mustard developed by Dr. Deepak Pantal. In such a situation, confusion arises due to the lack of a clear policy.

He said that Indian companies have done a lot of work in the seed industry and now there are many big seed companies in the private sector in the country. The government gives subsidy on fertilizers, so the seed sector should also get encouragement. Tax incentives are necessary to encourage investment. At the same time, he said that the budget of ICAR has been almost stable for the last several years. The government should increase it. The formation of Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Right Authority has protected intellectual property and due to this, investment in agricultural research by the private sector has increased. Dr. Paroda said that a lot of work has been done on research and technology in agriculture in the public sector, we have progressed in agricultural production. Along with this, there is a need to promote partnership between the public and private sector.

On this occasion, Ajay Rana, Chairman of Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) and CEO and Managing Director of Savannah Seeds Private Limited, said that there is a need to promote GM technology including hybrid technology in the country. A major way to increase the income of farmers is to enhance the productivity of crops using technology. There are many examples in the country and internationally where productivity has increased through hybrid technology. The high productivity of Rabi maize in Bihar is an example of this. We are working to replicate this success in Gujarat as well. Similarly, productivity has also increased through transgenic technology.

Ajay Rana said that through GM cotton, cotton production in India had gone up to 400 lakh bales, but now it has remained around 300 lakh bales. Our cotton requirement is around 450 lakh bales. Hybrid mustard is also an example of success where the productivity of its varieties has reached 2.5 tonnes per hectare. In hybrid rice, we are achieving productivity targets in many states. To increase the share of agriculture in the country's economy by using technology, we should look at the example of China where the share of agriculture in a smaller crop area is almost three times that of ours. An investment of one rupee in agriculture gives a return of 13 rupees. The seed industry in India is worth about 40 thousand crore rupees. We need to increase investment in research in the seed industry.