Jalna-based Beej Sheetal Analysis Pvt Ltd will begin the second phase biosafety study trials (BRL-II) for Bt Brinjal from April 2021, reported the company chairman Suresh Agarwal.
Beej Sheetal has to carry out trials in at minimum two of the eight states for which it has gained acceptance by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) not long ago.
Two varieties
GEAC has authorized BRL-II trials for Beej Sheetal’s two transgenic Bt Brinjal Hybrids referred to as Janak and BSS-793.
Jalna district in central Maharashtra is acknowledged as the seed hub of the State simply because a significant amount of seed organizations are positioned there. The dry weather of the district is most conducive for seed farming and storage.
Agarwal explained to BusinessLine that Beej Sheetal together with its sister issue Kalash Seeds Pvt Ltd are privately held and are primarily focussed on vegetable seeds for the last 34 several years. Beej Sheetal functions on biotech study, even though Kalash Seeds seems to be after manufacturing and advertising of the vegetable seeds.
Kalash Seeds had a turnover of ₹180 crore and ₹30 crore revenue for fiscal 2019-2020. Beej Sheetal staying a study-oriented company it had a turnover of ₹40 crore, he reported.
Presently about ₹20 crore has been used on study and other activities for Bt Brinjal, he reported.
‘Letter to PM’
Agarwal reported Beej Sheetal has been doing the job on Bt Brinjal since 2005, but right now after fifteen several years GEAC has specified permissions for field trials. As soon as the trials are over, the field info will have to be submitted all over again to GEAC. Following that they contemplate the technologies for commercialisation.
He pointed out that for the last 10 several years there was a moratorium on GM Brinjal, “But not long ago the company wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “simple letter” stating that the company has worked on Bt technologies for Brinjal and it can be a genuine Make in India merchandise.”