Import of de-oiled GM soya cake explained

MUMBAI, 29 August 2021: Centre allows import of 12 lakh metric ton GM soya cake after the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued the necessary notification. However, poultry industry, Farmers organization and environmental activist expressed different reaction on import decision.

Soya de oiled cake is used as an organic supplement, extracted from left over soyabean seeds after oil extraction and it is an excellent source of protein and micronutrients. This is used as major ingredient of poultry feed, especially for broilers.

In past 2 years, poultry industry was affected due to demand collapse in lockdown period as false rumor spread about chicken meat and followed by avian flue cases. Amid down sale, price of feeds was skyrocketing and price had escalated from normal INR 40 per kg to INR 100 per kg.

These skyrocketing prices of soya meal have made the livestock feed costlier, affecting farmers associated with poultry, dairy and aqua industry. Even, it put many poultry firm out of business. Commonly known reason for high pricing is the speculation of high price in commodity market for raw material and the same true for the global market.

Since, May 2020 the Industry has been seeking for import of soya cake and interestingly, government relaxes the rule for the import of crushed and de-oiled GM soya cake (Non-living organism only).

Relaxing in the import rule is given to allow import of 12 lakh metric ton of crushed and de-oiled GM soya cake with supporting argument that GM soya de-oiled and crushed cake does not contain any living modified organism and do not cause any hazard.

Poultry industry welcome the move by the government as it will reduce rising soya meal price and bring down production costs for breeders. On other side, many farmers organization had opposed the import decision as India has reported sowing of soyabean over 121.09 lakh hectors this kharif higher than 119.91 lakh hectors of sowing last year, this will clearly state that this import would affect the new soyabean crop and hit the upward price trend in soyabean market which directly affect soyabean farmers from north Indian states.

Also, the India’s regulatory system has yet to approve GM foods thus, environmental activists have raised concerns about a genetically modified plant to enter the human food chain.

This article has been written by Deepak G Deshmukh, PGDM Rural Management, We school, Mumbai