GM Mustard won't solve India's edible oil import problem, says Ashok Gulati

Gulati says he is in support of GM mustard, but to say that it will solve India's problem of edible oil imports is a stretch

The Central government needs to spend much more on agriculture research and development than on farm subsidies to ensure sustainability and productivity of the food systems in the country, eminent agriculture economist and Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) Ashok Gulati tells Business Standard in an interview ahead of the Budget.

In an unrelated comment, Gulati categorically stated that GM mustard (DMH-11) won’t solve India’s edible oil import problem because mustard (even with higher yields due to GM) can never be as competitive as palm oil. Edited excerpts:

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