"A primer on concerns, issues and prospects"

BT Brinjal has generated much debate in India. The promoters say that Bt Brinjal will be beneficial to small farmers because it is insect resistant, increases yields, is more cost-effective and will have minimal​environmental impact. On the other hand,concerns about Bt Brinjal relate to its possible adverse impact on human health and bio-safety, livelihoods and​

biodiversity.​​There are approximately 2500 varieties of brinjal in India of various shapes extending from oval or egg-shaped to long or clubshaped; and colours ranging fromwhite,yellow, green and purple to nearly black.

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Many popular commercial varieties of brinjal available today are derivatives of older varieties from India and China

​There are many controversies surrounding the development and release of genetically modified foods, ranging from human safety and environmental impacts to ethical concerns such as corporate control of the food supply and intellectual property rights. The brinjal is an important food crop for India and the potential commercialization of a genetically modified variety has drawn support and criticism. Although it is a major food crop in India, brinjal production is relatively low with fruit and shoot borer infestation a major constraint to yield. Proponents of the technology believe the Bt brinjal will have positive effects for the Indian economy and the health of the farmers. Field trials conducted on research-managed farms carried out by Mayhco and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research suggested a 42% pesticide reduction and a doubling of the yield was possible.[9] The economic gain for consumers, developers and farmers was estimated to potentially be US$108 million per year with an additional $3–4 million saved due to health benefits associated with decreased pesticide use.

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French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini, of the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering, reviewed the safety information. He raised concerns about some of the differences between feeding trials using the genetically modified and non-modified Brinjal and criticized some of the testing protocols.The EC-II responded to the concerns raised by Seralini and other scientists in their report, although opponents asserted that these concerns were not adequately addressed.[11] New Zealand epidemiologist Lou Gallagher also criticised the feeding trials saying that the raw data indicated toxic effects were associated with the rats fed the Bt Brinjal. Concerns have also been raised about a possible conflict of interest, with some of the scientists appointed to the GEAC being involved in developing their own GM products, that the decision by the EC-II was not unanimous, and about the reliability of safety data originating from Mahcyo run trials. The imposed moratorium has been criticized by some scientists as not being based on any compelling scientific evidence and potentially setting Indian biotechnology back decades. Others feel the critical issue is not the safety of the GM technology, but its corporatization and there are claims that India’s crop protection industry was a major player in preventing the commercialization of the Bt brinjal. India's National Biodiversity Authority is probing the crop scientists involved in developing the Bt Brinjal for allegedly violating India's 2002 Biological Diversity Act by using local cultivars and foreign technology without their permission

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