New Bt cotton seed varieties: MoC's comments sought on issuance of certificates

The National Bio-safety Committee (NBC) has sought comments from the Ministry of Commerce on issuance of commercial certificates for eight new Bt cotton seed varieties, as the decision hangs in balance without proper legislation for the last one year, it is learnt.
Earlier, NBC never sought Commerce Ministry's comments on issuance of commercial certificates for any new Bt cotton seed variety. However, to determine the effects on cotton export/import in the local market, it has been decided to take Ministry's viewpoint prior to permitting its commercial transactions. Informed sources revealed to Business Recorder that in February 2012, Punjab Seed Council (PSC) approved eight BT cotton seed varieties in addition to nine approved in 2010. As per signatory of Convention of Biological Diversity, for release of BT variety, a commercialisation certificate from the NBC, working under the umbrella of the Ministry of Climate Change is mandatory prior to the cultivation.
Pakistan is the ninth country which adopted Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) or Transgenic Crop Cultivation (TCC), and Bt cotton was the first crop approved for commercial cultivation, in 2010 while India allowed Bt cotton in 2002. Transgenic crops revolutionised the agriculture productivity in various countries, sources maintained.
The fate of new GMOs, waiting for commercialisation and labelling, was in doldrums due to absence of proper legislation after 18th constitutional amendment, as the NBC was dysfunctional since long, sources maintained. Pakistan had signed an international treaty under which it became mandatory for the country to have the NBC as a regulatory body before introducing any GMO.
The Federal Seed Certification Department (FSCD) has also warned that new verities of BT Cotton may not be available for the next season due to delay in getting commercial certificate, which will cause shortage of standard seeds, besides, negatively affecting production. The FSCD has conveyed its reservations to the Punjab Seed Council in this regard.
NBC is the apex body that is empowered to grant approval for testing and giving go ahead signal for commercialisation of genetically modified organisms/crops. The NBC also authorises companies to import seeds for field trials, and make the final regulatory decisions after following a rigorous process laid down in the committee's rules and regulations.
Dr Khalid Abdullah Cotton Commissioner, Ministry of Textile Industry expressed serious concern over the delay in issuing certificates for commercialisation of new cotton varieties, saying that if the certificate was not granted in time, the cultivation of the new Bt cotton varieties would not be possible during the current season.
Talking to Business Recorder, Cotton Commissioner said that cotton cultivation started in February-March however before introducing new variety proper mechanism and advertisement campaigns were vital to create awareness among farmers. He showed the apprehensions that delay in issuance of the commercialisation certificate might reduce the availability of cotton seed for the coming sowing season.