ICAR- CIBA and Biotech Consortium India Limited conducted an awareness workshop on “GM crops and their derivatives for the aqua-sector: Opportunities and way forward”

July 25th 2023, Chennai

The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) and the Biotech Consortium Pvt. Ltd. (BCIL) jointly hosted the workshop on "GM crops and their derivatives for the aqua sector: Opportunities and way forward" at ICAR-CIBA, Chennai. The major goals of this workshop were to raise market awareness and investigate the viability of using GM components in aqua feed in the difficult context of cost-effectiveness of aquaculture feeds.

In his introductory remarks, Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director of CIBA, highlighted the significance of the workshop and the need for varied ingredients in the aqua-feed industry, where GM crops have a vital role to play. He also emphasized that serious efforts might be made to employ sustainable ingredients since feed accounts for 60% of the overall cost of input in aquaculture operations. Dr. Vibha Ahuja, Chief General Manager of BCIL, went into detail about the safety and regulatory evaluation of GM crops for use as animal feed.

Mr. Palanisamy Ravi, Vice President, the Waterbase Limited. Mr. Raghavan Sampathkumar, ED of the Federation of the Indian Seed Industry. Mr. Amit Sachdev of the US Grain Council and Mr. Jaison John of the US Soybean Export Council, made presentation and expressed the views on theme area.

After the lectures, a panel discussion featuring academics, business leaders, and policymakers took place. Dr. P. Krishnaiah addressed the necessity of lower feed costs for sustainability and to meet the needs of small and medium-sized farmers for inexpensive feed. The discussions amply dispelled the fallacies around the use of GM crops and emphasized the significance of using GM crop-based ingredients for reliable quality and cost with a focus on sustainability.

(Source: ICAR-CIBA, Chennai)