The government of Maharashtra has responded positively to a proposal from the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), under the Rubber Board, for conducting controlled field trials of genetically modified (GM) rubber.
Sheela Thomas, chairperson, Rubber Board, said here that the response from Kerala government, which had strongly opposed the field trials citing the state's policy to be free of GM crops, was awaited.
The ministry of Agriculture stipulated that trials would be conducted in closely-controlled environment and that it would not be carried out in commercially-cultivated holdings.
She said the board would conduct a survey to find out the actual stock of natural rubber in the country. A framework for the survey, which will investigate several other aspects of natural rubber cultivation and production, was being readied. The survey would be conducted by the Rubber Board and no outside agency would be involved.
She was speaking at an interactive session with rubber traders organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and Cochin Rubber Merchants Association. She assured the stakeholders that the issues raised by them would be addressed to on an urgent basis, including the suggestion to raise the import duty in case of raw latex.
Nearly 50 members of the rubber trading community participated in the interactive session, the first since Sheela Thomas took charge as the Rubber Board chairperson in February. Prathapachandran, president, ICCI, and GP Goyal, president, Cochin Rubber Merchants Association, also spoke.
