Making a strong case for the release of genetically modified (GM) mustard, the government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that developing GM hybrids will enhance productivity and reduce the dependency on imports as the present edible oil consumption in India surpasses the domestic production rate.

A Bench comprising justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sudhanshu Dhulia while adjourning the hearing on two PILs filed by Gene Campaign and a group of activists led by Aruna Rodrigues, seeking moratorium on the release of GM mustard extended its status quo order on the cultivation of the oil seed till November 17, the next date of hearing. The affidavit filed by the Centre a day earlier was yet to be taken on record by the judges. Another farmer body has also come in support of GM mustard.

Stating that opposition to GM seeds is based on unfounded fears which hurts Indian farmers, consumers and the industry, the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEF) said that India meets 55-60% of edible oil demand through imports despite extensive use and sowing of mustard at 8-9 million hectares of land. “Seed replacement (farmer buying fresh seed) rates are around 63% and area under irrigation had increased to 83% of the total area under mustard, which is the most important edible oil and seed meal crop of India. Despite all these investments, yield of mustard are stagnating,” the ministry stated in its affidavit.

According to it, GM mustard hybrid has shown increased per hectare yield by 25-30% over traditional varieties and due to exploitation of hybrid vigour. Production of edible oil due to deployment of GM mustard hybrids will reduce the dependency on other exporting countries and will contribute to India’s self-sustenance with respect to production of edible oil, it added.

The government said that it is committed to improving farmers’ income and farm productivity in oilseeds and grain legumes with an explicit goal of making the country Atmanirbhar (self-sufficient) in edible oils and grain legumes. The country needs to be independent in oil production to meet the domestic consumption demand as increased edible oil prices of refined palm oil, refined soya oil and mustard oil have been continuously increasing, thus will lead to inflation in the Indian economy, it said in its 77-page affidavit.