India: Task force on GM rice meets

The task force set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to look into the bio-safety issues related to GM (genetically modified) rice will meet in south Indian city Tirupati on Wednesday. The committee will discuss guidelines and bio-safety issues. It is the 42nd all-India rice research group meet.

An official from the group said, "We have to be very careful with regard to Bt rice. There are a lot of issues involved." The issue of GM rice had triggered a row with rice exporters asking the DBT to stop the GM rice field trials so as not to put exports of Basmati rice in jeopardy. Their fear stemmed from the fact that GM contamination disrupted the US supplies to the European Union, a market that APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority) explored for long-grained rice.