1.WHO TO BELIEVE?
2.GEAC rejects 3 varieties of Monsanto Bt cotton
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1.WHO TO BELIEVE?

It's worth contrasting what Mahyco-Monsanto claimed about the success of its Bt cotton with what's reported in the article below.

Monsanto, it will be remembered, claimed its research showed Bt cotton produced good results in all the states in which it was grown.

But here it is noted by a senior member of India's regulatory committee - the GEAC, that every state reported at best "mixed" results with Monsanto's Bt cotton.

In Andhra Pradesh Monsanto's research proclaimed that AP farmers had gained five fold from its Bt cotton. Yet the GEAC has now disallowed commercial cultivation of Monsanto's Bt cotton hybrids in Andhra Pradesh.

The GEAC also disallowed commercial cultivation of one of Monsanto's Bt cotton varieties in the whole of south India "on receiving adverse reports about its performance in the last three years".

In addition to adverse reports from about 20 farmers' organisations, these reports came from the relevant state governments. One state - Gujarat - failed to provide reports but it is known that its report for 2002 declared Monsanto's Bt cotton "unfit for cultivation".

Could it be that the states are biased against Monsanto? Far from it. The Chief Minister in Gujarat has been a rabid GM advocate and he is very far from alone. In the recent BBC 'Bitter Harvest' series it was noted how the whole state apparatus in Punjab is working to promote Monsanto's seeds. Even in Andhra Pradesh evidence has emerged of state manipulation of data in Monsanto's favour. While data in an original report revealed the comprehensive failure of Bt Cotton in Andhra Pradesh, a second, visibly tampered-with version exaggerated the yields in Monsanto's favour.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4947

Former Syngenta man and GM lobbyist, Dr Shanthu Shantaram, has declared Monsanto's research to be the best available. PV Satheesh, by contrast, has called Monsanto's claims of amazing benefits to farmers in Andhra Pradesh the "LIE OF THE CENTURY"

It's now clear who the GEAC believed.
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2.GEAC rejects 3 varieties of Monsanto Bt cotton in AP
ASHOK B SHARMA
Financial Express, May 04, 2005
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=89912

The regulatory authority, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) disallowed commercial cultivation of three varieties of Mahyco-Monsanto's Bt cotton hybrids in Andhra Pradesh.

These three varieties are Mech-12 Bt, Mech-162 Bt and Mech-184 Bt. These varieties completed three years of commercial cultivation and were waiting for the renewal at the beginning of the current season.

The GEAC also disallowed commercial cultivation of Mech-12 Bt in entire south India on receiving adverse reports about its performance in the last three years. Mech-12 can only be cultivated in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Mech-162 Bt and Mech-184 Bt will continue to be cultivated in southern states, with the exception of Andhra Pradesh and also in central India, consisting of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Mech-12 Bt, Mech-162 Bt and Mech-184 Bt were approved in March 2002 for commercial cultivation in south India and central India. The GEAC deferred its decision, twice in the past two months, on the proposal to renew the extension period for these three Bt cotton varieties.

"It was a very difficult decision," said a senior GEAC member. He said, "This decision was taken on receiving adverse reports from about 20 farmers’ organisations. The Andhra Pradesh government had given adverse reports on the performance of Bt cotton, while other states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have sent mixed reports. Gujarat government has not sent any reports so far."

Speaking to FE the leader of Farmers-Industry Alliance, P Chengal Reddy said, "GEAC should have allowed commercial cultivation of these Bt cotton hybrids in Andhra Pradesh. Farmers have already booked order for 300,000 bags of Bt cotton seeds with the local dealers."

However, the GEAC, in its meeting on Tuesday, approved four new Bt cotton hybrids for commercial cultivation in south India, including Andhra Pradesh. "This has been done to again give a choice to Andhra farmers," said a GEAC member.

The four new Bt cotton hybrids allowed for commercial cultivation in south India are - MRC-6322 Bt and MRC-6918 Bt developed by Mahyco and RCH-20 Bt and RCH-368 Bt developed by Rasi Seed. The GEAC did not approve Bunny Bt and Mallika Bt seeds developed by Nuziveedu Seeds for commercial cultivation in south India. The decision on these two seeds has been deferred till next meeting after receiving DNA fingerprint reports.

For central India, GEAC approved five new Bt cotton hybrids for commercial cultivation, namely RCH-144 Bt and RCH-118 Bt developed by Rasi Seed, MRC-6301 Bt developed by Mahyco and Ankur-681 and Ankur-09 developed by Ankur Seeds. GEAC also approved about 20 large scale field trials for different types of Bt cotton in south and central India.