Farmers are selling genetically-modified brinjals in the country’s markets without labels, in violation of an obligation imposed by the National Committee on Biosafety.
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) also did not conduct any laboratory test by itself regarding the possible negative impacts of the controversial GM crop on land, insects, and the health of farmers and consumers.
Much of the 350 tonnes of Bt brinjal, being produced all over the country since November, have been sold out while the rest will hit the market during Ramadan when the demand rises sharply.
Dr Rafiqul Islam Mondol, the BARI director general, said: “The practice of having labels is not pragmatic with regard to the Bangladesh context where poor farmers sell their products to wholesalers and later those products go to different parts of the country in an accumulated manner.
“However, we advised the farmers to tag ‘poison-free Bt brinjal’ on the sacks.”
No regularity authorities are supervising Bt brinjal’s marketing process. Dhaka Tribune could not reach any member of the National Committee on Biosafety.
On September 8 last year, the Bari DG himself admitted that, before releasing the Bt brinjal varieties, they had not conducted any test in any local laboratory. He also acknowledged that most of the farmers who cultivated Bt brinjal during the pilot stage faced loss as the brinjals were caught by pests.
However, GM crops on the fields are supposed to drive away pests – both useful and those harmful – because of the Bt gene, patented by US seed giant Monsanto, inserted into them.
Indian research firm Mahyco, in which Monsanto has 26% stake, developed the brinjal varieties for BARI with the financial support of USAID.
India banned Mahyco’s Bt brinjal in 2010 after its harmful effects were exposed.
The same group earlier developed brinjal varieties in the Philippines. But the move was stalled by a court order, considering possible health hazards.
GM crops are banned in a number of countries around the world.
Despite production failure at the pilot stage, the government in October last year distributed Bt brinjal saplings among 106 farmers in 17 different districts to make the controversial crop popular among the farmers.
According to BARI, average production of Bt brinjal is 40 tonnes per hectare. It means the farmers this time can grow around 350 tonnes of Bt brinjal in around 8.5 hectares.
The BARI chief said each farmer had been given saplings of two different varieties for 20 decimal land. “In most cases, the farmers experienced good production and are now selling them in the markets,” he added.
Dhaka Tribune could not verify the claims regarding production.
The government released the four varieties – Bt Uttara, Bt Kajla, Bt Noyontara and Bt Isd 006 – on October 30, 2013 for cultivation on a limited scale.
Environmental activists have been opposing the government move since the beginning, expressing serious concerns about the biological and health hazards of the GM crops.
Several organisations and individuals also challenged the release of Bt brinjal at the top court seeking extensive assessment. The court, however, rejected the public interest litigations.
Farida Akter, executive director of Ubinig – an agricultural research organisation – alleged the government was forcing the consumers to buy the controversial product without following the condition on labelling.
Labels on the crop could offer the consumers a scope to decide whether or not to buy the Bt brinjals. “Now they have no choice,” she said.
