India: Central government’s ultimate decision on GM mustard likely in September

The question whether the commercial rollout of GM mustard will be allowed in India is still unacknowledged. As India’s sowing season usually starts in October, the central government, located in New Delhi, plans to make its final decision on GM mustard by September. Thus, in case the authorities decide to bring it onto the market, the appeal could be heard by the supreme court before GM mustard gets its final approval.

The rollout of GM mustard is a controversial issue in India as, according to medical experts and environmentalists, GM crops could expose people and environment to health risks. As a consequence, the supreme court urged the central government to take a responsible decision on the launch of GM mustard – which would be the first genetically engineered food crop in India if it gets the approval by the environment’s ministry’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).