India is one of the largest cotton farmers in the world, with reference to both conventional cotton and GMO cotton. Now Indian authorities suspect Monsanto has violated competition laws. New troubles for the GMO multinational?
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
India is one of the largest cotton farmers in the world, referring to both conventional cotton and al GMO cotton. Now the Indian authorities suspect that Monsanto has violated the laws of competition and more. New troubles for the GMO multinational?
Just these days Vandana Shiva dealt with the subject on his blog noting that Monsanto in India is also addressing the causes brought forward by the growers of GMO cotton who find themselves paying astronomical surcharges to the multinational.
According to Vandana Shiva the multinational GMO has always circumvented Indian laws. For example, in 1995 Monsanto introduced 100 grams of cottonseed containing the Bt MON531 gene into India without the approval of the Genetic Evaluation Committee (GEAC).
Also without receiving the necessary approvals, Monsanto began experimenting with the cultivation of GMO cotton in 40 locations across 9 states, with the intention of starting a large-scale production of genetically modified cotton and holding a monopoly.
Once the trial was completed, the GMO cotton fields were converted to wheat, turmeric and peanut crops without respecting the one-year waiting period required by law.
Vandana Shiva speaks of blatant violations of Indian laws. In India the laws in force do not allow patents on seeds and in agriculture. This has always been a problem for Monsanto who managed to get around it by putting pressure on India through the US administration. So now Indian peasants find themselves paying at Monsanto's request taxes on GMO cotton that shouldn't exist. This is the 'price' Monsanto charges farmers to grow patented seeds. Monsanto brought Indian farmers to their knees with a total debt of 900 million dollars.
In response to the unfair tariffs requested by Monsanto, the government of Andhra Pradesh filed a complaint against the monopolies, arguing that for the same seeds the multinational was asking Indian farmers to pay a sum 9 times greater than what is requested from US farmers. .
The issue is very complex but according to Vandana Shiva, Monsanto's ruthlessness is the central element of the current crisis that it is putting Indian peasants in serious trouble. Monsanto is to be held responsible for damage to Indian agriculture and for violations of the law.
Finally, also in India we find the problems related to glyphosate: not only pollution and health risks but also environmental issues related to the emergence of 'weeds' that have become super resistant to Monsanto's Roundup herbicide.
Vandana Shiva points out that glyphosate has already been included by the WHO among the substances probably carcinogenic to humans and remember that in the Indian villages where glyphosate is used there is a real one cancer epidemic. Monsanto is destroying India's rural population and the peasant economy.
If no one stops the GMO multinational, what will happen to the next generations?
Marta Albè
Read also:
GMO COTTON: MONSANTO SEEDS BANDED IN INDIA AFTER BAD HARVESTS BY BT COTTON
SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION: IN INDIA NEW HARVESTS OF RECORD-FREE RICE WITHOUT GMOs
GMO: MONSANTO SEEDS TREATED WITH POISON?
