India gives environmental approval for gene-modified mustard

India has granted environmental clearance for indigenously developed genetically modified (GM) mustard seeds, experts said on Thursday, paving the way for commercial use of its first GM food crop. The worlds biggest importer of edible oils, on which it spends tens of billions of dollars a year, India fills more than 70% of its demand from Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia and Ukraine. I can call it a landmark development, said Deepak Pental, a geneticist and former vice-chancellor of Delhi University, who developed the seeds along with his team, in an effort stretching more than a decade. Commercial use of GM mustard seeds would take a couple of years, however, he added. In a notice, the government confirmed the highest level of clearance yet for the transgenic mustard crop, also known as rapeseed. India is streamlining regulations for development of genome edited plants, the science and technology ministry said on Thursday, calling the technology promising, as ...