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Over 5,000 farmers would get genetically modified Bt brinjal seeds in the coming winter as part of the government’s plan to scale up cultivation of biotech crops in the country.
Alongside, agro-research institutions concerned are fast-tracking field trials of three more biotech crops — late blight resistant potato, Bt cotton and vitamin-A rich Golden Rice.
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Dilafroza Khanam said apart from four Bt brinjal varieties released in 2013, three more GM brinjal varieties were now in the pipeline for regulatory approval while they were field-testing two more.
She added that field trials on biotech potato, cotton and rice were at the advanced stages now.
Referring to doubling of Bt brinjal acreage from 12 hectares in 2014 to 25 hectares in 2015, ISAAA credited the success to Bangladesh’s political will, particularly from Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury.
It said, “Importantly, the seed [of Bt brinjal] is now being multiplied to meet the growing needs of substantially more farmers in 2016.”
Read full, original post: Farmers to get GM brinjal seeds this winter
