U.S. Official: India not Keeping Pace with Peers like China in Adopting Farm Tech

India is not keeping pace with its peers like China in adopting innovative farm technologies, especially biotechnology, a U.S. embassy official said today on FinancialExpress.com, cautioning that the country’s agri import may rise if crop yields are not raised. The comments come against the backdrop of US biotech major Monsanto Indian arm’s legal battle with the government and domestic seed companies over the royalty issue and logjam over allowing genetically modified food crops such as mustard and brinjal for commercial cultivation.

Speaking to the media about India’s unrealized agriculture potential, the official here said: “We have a perspective that India is not keeping pace with its peers — China, Vietnam and others when it comes to ensuring farmers have access to world-class innovative technologies.”

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Innovative technologies, including biotechnology, are required to boost crop yields, which in India at present are much lower than neighbouring countries, he said. Wheat yields are at 3 tonnes per hectare in India as against 5 tonnes in China. Rice yields are at 4 tonnes per hectare here while it is 7 tonnes in China and 6 tonnes in Vietnam, he added.

Without referring to the Monsanto’s ongoing legal dispute specifically, the official said there is a feeling among many people here that biotechnology is not good though dozens of countries around the globe have experienced great success.

Read the full story on FinancialExpress.com.

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