Members of the Safe Food Alliance (SFA), a consumer rights group, on Tuesday said political parties are unaware of the proliferation of genetically modified food crops in the state.

With Bt cotton replacing normal cotton plants in many parts of Tamil Nadu, SFA activists said it is a only a matter of time before all our foods are genetically modified and yet no political party is prepared to debate the consequences of that happening.

“All parties should clearly state their stand on genetically modified (GM) crops and pesticides and mention it in their election manifestos,” said SFA coordinator Ananthoo.

The group pointed out that the process of genetic engineering that led to the development of the ‘Golden Rice’ variety was full of imprecision and unpredictability. Studies have already indicated that consuming such foods could cause various health problems, they said.

“While there has been an uproar against Bt brinjal and similar products nationwide, people in the state have been slow to pick up on an issue that could affect every family in the future,” said biotechnologist Sultan Ismail.

“The Tamil Nadu government seems to have forgotten the large-scale opposition to GM foods and is promoting research on products like GM maize at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.”

“We urge the state government not to allow such trials of GM foods without a debate with consumer groups and other political parties,” he added.

The alliance is planning to announce a consumer awareness campaign against GM foods called ‘I Am No Lab Rat’. As a first step, SFA will conduct an organic mela at Semmozhi Poonga on March 19 to mark Consumer Rights Day.

According to the new procedure introduced by the Union ministry of environment and forests, all state governments have been given one month to communicate whether or not they are prepared to allow
genetically modified food trials.