India-US trade deal: Farmers question import of animal feed, soybean oil

India retained protection on corn and soybean, both GM crops in US, but agreed to import dried distillers’ grains and red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil. Farm organisations say DDG comes from GM corn and questioned allowing import of soybean oil. RSS-linked BKS too sought a clarification. Farm minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “All our crops are safe.” Nod for animal feed import triggers unease among farmer outfitsNEW DELHI: India allowing import of animal feeds – dried distillers’ grains (DDGs) and red sorghum – may benefit the country’s livestock sector, but the move has attracted criticism from farm organisations, which said the DDGs would mostly come from genetically modified (GM) American corn. In India, DDGs are extracted from maize and rice as a byproduct, but its quality is not suitable as feed for broiler chickens and dairy cattle. The US has better quality and cheaper DDGs – a high-protein byproduct of corn ethanol production. Addressing a press conference, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said DDGs were included at the suggestion of the country’s animal husbandry sector. Farm groups also questioned allowing the import of soyabean oil, saying US produces a transgenic variety of soyabean. The import of soyabean oil will adversely impact millions of soyabean farmers, they said. The RSS-linked Bharatiya Kisan Sangh too sought clarification on the issue. “We strongly oppose the import of GM food and feed products from the US under the garb of this trade agreement, particularly soyabean oil and DDGs which would mostly come from GM maize,” said Kirankumar Vissa and Kavitha Kuruganti of ASHA-Kisan Swaraj. The minister said that after processing, all GM traces are erased and the oil already being imported and consumed in the country follow the same process. Referring to the joint statement that says “India also agrees to address long-standing non-tariff barriers to the trade in US food and agricultural products”, they said, “this is coded language for lifting restrictions on GM food crops and products that have been in place in India”. The farm outfit also said the import of DDGs and red sorghum will impact the incomes of millions of farmers growing crops used for fodder and feed for animals and poultry. Mohini Mohan Mishra, all-India general secretary of BKS, said govt should present its position on this with more clarity. Goyal said the agreement makes it clear that GM food will not be allowed into India. On allowing import of DDGs, he said that after processing, the characteristics of genetic modification are eliminated. Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “As agriculture minister, I can say with pride that the interests of our farmers have been fully safeguarded, whether it is with regard to basmati, rice, spices or textiles.” He added, “As per the agreement reached with the US, all our crops are safe. No maize, wheat, rice, soyabean, poultry products, milk, cheese, ethanol, fuel or tobacco will come from US.”