Farmers looking ahead for approval of GM jute from GEAC

University of Calcutta has developed genetically modified (GM) jute. The genetic modification by gene sequencing can produce the required quality and varieties of jute like the longer fibres and different colours. The GM jute has been forwarded to the regulator, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) for commercial approval.

GM jute will become the second crop of its kind to get approval, after the GM cotton which was approved in 2002 for commercialization

Jute being a non-food crop, GEAC should have no problem in approving it as the regulator is more concern on food items. The farmers are look ahead to getting approval from GEAC. This will be a replication on GM cotton success for GM jute.

India’s jute sectors installed capacity stands at round 1.5 million tonnes and its manufactures nearly 1.2 million tonnes of bags annually of which about 40 percent of the jute bags produced are procured by the Union food ministry.

Through Food Corporation of India on behalf of different state food procuring agencies the bags procured are utilized to packing food grains.
Of the 250 million tonnes of food grains produced annually, almost 30 percent of food grains are packed in jute bags worth around Rs 6,000 crore.

Recent Posts

Yanpai orders needlepunch lines from Andritz

Zhejiang Yanpai Filter Technology has placed a new order with Andritz for two additional high-performance needlepunch production lines.

19 hours ago

Chinese textile group Sunrise to invest in Morocco

Sunrise has started building a textile factory in Morocco through its newly formed subsidiary, Euwen Textiles. Construction has begun in…

19 hours ago

Tendam, UDIT study carbon impact of fashion e-commerce

Tendam, in partnership with the University of Design, Innovation and Technology, has released a new study examining the carbon footprint…

2 days ago

Mycelium-based insulation emerges as solution for fast-fashion waste

Researchers from Latvia have identified mycelium-based insulation as the most promising reuse option for fast-fashion textile waste.

2 days ago

Researchers turn PET waste into anti-cancer medicines

A breakthrough has revealed a new way to convert PET from plastic bottles and synthetic textiles into key components used…

2 days ago

India–New Zealand FTA to boost Indian textile exports

The proposed India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to significantly strengthen Indian exports.

3 days ago