Indian farmers and rice exporters are now worried about the tests of genetically engineered (GE) rice in India. India is the largest producer of rice and India is also one of the top exporters. Indian government is thinking about GE technology for quite sometime as India is finding it increasingly difficult to produce enough food grains for its 1 billion plus population.
“India has carried out field trials of mostly short-grain rice at 10 different sites across the country since 2005, but the country's Supreme Court last month suspended fresh tests on all crops until a further court hearing.
Previous trials show no signs of GM seeds infecting rice exports.
But importers and farmers fear the risk of contamination through mixing of seeds during storage or in transportation could affect consumer confidence and India's reputation as a "clean and reliable" rice exporter.”
So, Indian government has a dilemma in its hand. Indian government should not upset the exporters and the farmers. GE rice is still a bone of contention in many parts of the world. So, Indian government should act carefully.
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