1.GM-free status sought for State
2.India bans GM rice imports

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1.GM-free status sought for State
To prevent influx of genetically modified crops
Special Correspondent
The Hindu, 13 July 2007
http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/13/stories/2007071357250400.htm

*Demand in the wake of permission given to Monsanto
*Issue taken up with Union Agriculture Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has written to the Union Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar opposing experimental cultivation of genetically modified crops in Kerala.

The Minister urged the Centre to declare Kerala as a GM-free State and prevent the influx of genetically modified crops.

Mr. Ratnakaran wrote to Mr. Pawar in the light of permission granted to a private agency under the control of Monsanto Corporation to try genetically modified rice in some paddy fields in Palakkad district.

Kerala is rich in biodiversity and 50 per cent of its geographical area is part of the Western Ghats which is a global biodiversity hotspot. Cultivation of genetically modified crops in this area will be detrimental to the ecosystem, the Minister said.

Workshop

The Agriculture Minister said that the Government would organise a workshop soon to create awareness of the effects of the entry of imperialist forces in the food sector.

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2.India bans GM rice imports

EXTRACT: ...India banned the importation of genetically modified rice, the government said Thursday. India is generally a rice exporter, but the country's also imports small volumes.

from DJ CBOT Rice Review: Settles Higher; Late Rally Extends Gains By Joe Poncer; Dow Jones Newswires; 312-341-5778; [email protected] July 12 2007
http://prairiefarmer.com/index.aspx?ascxID=dowJones&category=1&djid=20509

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