Import of GMO seed banned due to its health and environment: NA body told.

ISLAMABAD -- The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research here on Thursday was informed that due to health and environment issues, the import of genetically modified seed of maize was banned, however the government would provide possible facilities to companies for the technologies transfer for BT cotton.

The Committee which met with Rao Muhammad Almal Khan in the Chair, discussed the introduction of GMO seeds for food crops in the country.

Briefing the Committee, Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research Dr Muhammad Hashim Popalzi informed the meeting that Pakistan was non-GMO country in terms of food grains productions and the countries which were importing the maize from Pakistan were also non-GMO countries. He said that if the import of GMO seeds of corns would allowed in the country, local exports wold came down, besides local buyers would also avoid to purchase the corn produced through GMO seeds.

He informed the Committee that hybrid maize was cultivated over large areas to produce maize, adding that it was performing well as the farmers were getting maximum per acre yield. He said that bumper maize crop produced from last many consecutive years.

He informed that Bio-Safety Committee has approved the import of GM seeds for testing and trail but it had imposed ban on the import of GM seeds of maize in 2018 in order to make further deliberations on its health and environmental impacts and the effects of cross pollination in other verities.

He further told the Committee that other three Ministries including Health, Climate Change, Commerce had also suggested to impose ban on the import...