CHENNAI: Agriculture Minister S. Arumugham on Thursday allayed farmers' fears on genetically-engineered crops.

The Government will not take any steps that will affect the interest of farmers, he said, responding to queries raised by Congress, PMK and MDMK members in the Assembly.

The Minister said that genetically-engineered paddy was being cultivated as part of a field trial at Alandurai village in Coimbatore district. The State Government was not aware of it as the permission was given by the Department of Bio-technology of the Centre, which was in direct contact with Agriculture University, Coimbatore, and local Collector. Mr. Arumugham said research on Bt paddy was going on for the last 10 years at the international level. It had been found to be pest-resistant with a higher yield. In Tamil Nadu, Bt paddy was only in the experimental stage and the Government had not recommended to farmers to go in for it. The Government would not take any decision that would affect farmers.

Earlier, S. Peter Alphonse (Congress), said that it was surprising that field trial was conducted in the State without the knowledge of the Government.

On an issue like this, the Centre should have consulted the State before conducting the trial. He pointed out that already cultivation of GM crop had been banned in some States.

G.K. Mani (PMK) said the Government should not take hasty decision on the issue. Farmers feared that genetically modified crops would affect the traditional ones.

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