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G. Chandrashekhar

MUMBAI, May 17

THE dilemma arising out of conflict of interest and opposing views expressed by different ministries seems to characterise the government's current position on imposing labelling and other restrictions on import of genetically modified (GM) products into the country.

Pressures exerted from within and outside the Government are said to be taking their toll even as the issue is clearly snowballing into a major controversy among policy-makers. While confusion on the technical aspects of the issue is palpable, no one is sanguine this sensitive issue is being handled in a transparent manner. There is doubt if merit alone is the guiding principle.

Major actors in this unfolding drama are the Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce, Food and Health. Going by reports, it was the Agriculture Ministry that mooted the idea and made a reference to the Law Ministry and then to the Health Ministry to examine whether restrictions can be imposed on import of soyabean oil produced out of genetically-modified (GM) soyabean.

Also, as far back as in March, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Ajit Singh, wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to direct the Ministry of Environment and Forest to invoke the relevant law so that suppliers and importers are forced to declare the origin and genetic source of the product. However, on April 22, answering question whether the Government has restricted import of soyabean oil to non-GM oil only and whether most consignments of the oil entering the country are of GM variety, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, told the Lok Sabha that information was being collected and would be laid on the table of the House.

It is common knowledge that major suppliers of soyabean oil— Argentina and USA— grow GM soyabean to a significant extent. There is very little identity preservation even as both GM and non-GM soyabean get mixed during storage and in crushing. Suppliers do not venture to guarantee the "genetic purity'' of oil.

But by May 13, the picture changed. Mr Ajit Singh considerably toned down his initial aggressive stand on ground of technical difficulties in detection of protein. He said, refined GM soyaoil does not contain GM protein and DNA, and when the oils are non-refined very sophisticated and sensitive methods like PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) may enable the distinction.

Apparently, the Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs, the administrative ministry for edible oils, does not fully share the views of the Agriculture Ministry. Mr. V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Minister of State, informed Lok Sabha on May 10 that imported soyabean oil does not contain protein.

The Food Ministry has not been supportive of the labelling proposal. The Food Minister has ruled out the possibility of any restriction on soyabean oil as he apprehends that it would give Malaysian palm oil an upper hand in India.

What is the Commerce Ministry saying? On May 10, Mr Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State for Commerce assured the Lok Sabha in no uncertain terms that "there was no proposal to introduce a GMO safety certificate scheme for all products being imported into the country''. He added that "Rule 11 of the rules for the manufacture, use, import, export and storage of hazardous micro-organisms/genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) or cells 1989 notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 provides that food stuffs, ingredients in food stuffs, and additives including processing aids containing or consisting of GMOs or cells shall not be produced, sold, imported or used except with the approval of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee''.

Where does all this leave the Health Ministry, which is supposed to crystallise its views? The Ministry is already seized of the proposal to examine labelling and is currently working on it. No official is willing to go on record or be quoted. Given the debatable nature of the subject and its ramifications, no clear decision may be forthcoming soon.

However, in a private conversation, an official, on condition of anonymity, mentioned that the decision on labelling will have to be taken at a very high level in the Government— the committee of secretaries or higher.

The Health Ministry is already subjected to tremendous pulls and pressures both within the country and from outside by interested parties. A threat that India may stand isolated in the international arena in case restrictions are imposed has also been issued to the Government by some vested interests.

Should the Government follow the "precautionary principle'' of the European Union or "sound science'' of the Americans is the multi-million dollar question before a seemingly confused New Delhi.

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