"In India, farmers who are using BT Cotton have seen additional profits of Rs 45,000-50,000 crore," said Mr Ram Kaundinya, chairperson of ABLE-AG during the Agribiotech inaugural session on  the second day of the Bangalore India Bio 2015.

He further said that GM seeds are coming in Rice, Pulses, and Oilseeds in India. "Due to non-scientific reasons BT Brinjal adoption and field trials have been stopped. Industry and the government have made a huge investment to the tune of over Rs 12,000 crore on GM and they are waiting for returns. Policy makers need to look into this for the larger benefit of farmers and people", he added.

"Stopping field trials is not the answer. We need to use the technology responsibly. We hope policy makers take a note of it," he said.

Earlier, Mr M Mahadevappa, director (Rural Development), JSSMVP, Mysore and ex-chairman, ASRB, ex-vice chancellor UAS, Dharwad, said that a day will come when all GM crops will be accepted. He also urged that efforts need to be made so as to not send wrong information across society on biotech crops. Farmers need to be educated on the benefits of Agribiotech, he felt. 

Mr Srivatsa Krisha, secretary, Department of IT, BT, Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka said that only four states in India have allowed field trails of GM crops. "Only Maharastra, AP, Punjab, and Delhi have allowed it. Globally agribiotech would be around a $50 billion market by 2020," he said.

Quoting a report in a  newspaper, he said that the article states that no Indian state has come forward to commercialize BT Brinjal, he went on to say that it wasa a matter of concern and something that needed checking. 

He also said that the Government of Karnataka under the aegies of the Agricluture Minsiter is looking to establish a vision group for Agribiotech in the state.

Duriong his note, he said his department is contemplating making Bangalore India Bio an international event. "We are looking at the feasability of making the next edition an Asia edition, hosted in one of the Asian countries," he said.