Biotech sector for import duty waiver on biomaterials

To spread the benefits of biotechnology across the country and to be competitive in the global market, the biotechnology industry has sought streamlining and upgradation of the regulatory mechanism and seek duty waiver on the import of biomaterials.

The industry has also sought speedy implementation of the Mashelkar and Swaminathan task force reports. It wants the efforts to promote linkages between industry and academia through sops.

Speakers at Biospectrum's panel discussion on 'Biotech Industry's Demands to the Finance Minister for the Union Budget' here also highlighted the substandard biotech education available in the country and urged more fund infusion into research institutes for their upgradation.

K K Narayana of Metahelix suggested that central subsidy be given to states to promote transgenic crops.

He also urged the government to implement the Plant Varieties Protection and Farmers Rights Act of 2002.

"This piece of legislation, when implemented, will give a direction and set rules for the fledgling agri-biotech sector and it also brings in a mechanism for the sector," he added.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon said that special economic zone status linked to acreage is not suited for the biotech sector. Instead, the government should announce a policy on special status based on the quantum of investment and employment generation potential.

Since many biotech companies are entering global markets with unique products, the government should emphasise auditing and accreditation by its regulatory departments, she added.

Shama Bhat of Bhat Biotech narrated his experience of how the diagnostic sector is dominated by foreign diagnostic kit makers.

Urging the government to cut the duty on biomaterials, he said that the Indian diagnostic industry can take on Chinese and Korean manufacturers who are selling kits cheaper than the raw material cost only if import duty is reduced.

"If the duty on raw material is lowered to global standards, we can take on the cheaper imports with the backing of Indian scientific manpower," he added.

Jagadesh Mittur of Monsanto Research Centre asked the government to check the spurious seed manufacturers. These spurious seed makers are taking farmers for a ride and depriving the government of its taxes.

Ashok Kolasker, vice chancellor of Pune University, pointed out that in the last 10 years the number of educated has been growing at 20-22 per cent. Human resources creation for the sector is of utmost importance. Biotech education should be outside the ambit of the AICTE for it only checks infrastructure rather than the quality of education.