Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

GM-free status sought for State

Special Correspondent

To prevent influx of genetically modified crops

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.

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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