What is the latest news regarding bt brinjal? It is my understanding that the trial was expanded to additional varieties and 100 growers in Bangladesh for the 2nd growing season which should be nearing completion. Are there recent assessments on how bt brinjal performed this time around? I have seen the articles by New Age and GM Watch declaring failure, but I would welcome information from a responsible source not vested in disparaging genetic engineering.

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Friday, 14/08/2015 10:32

Earlier this year, Jon Entine from Genetic Literacy Project wrote an article about the Bt brinjal issue you're referencing, including claims made in the New Age article and other sources, explaining that those claims are not consistent with local journalists and independent agencies. 

 

 

Entine further discusses the current situation on the ground in Bangladesh and notes that "the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), the government-run agency that developed and owns Bt brinjal in Bangladesh, visited all of the fields mentioned."  You can read BARI's rejoinder in response to the report here.

 

Entine reports, "Overall in Bangladesh 108 farmers are currently growing Bt brinjal seeds provided by BARI. According to the latest provisional performance information, nationally only 8% of the farms have suffered severe loss from bacterial wilt—a lower number than might be expected in an average year. 

 

"The rest of the farms have seen good fruiting and farmers have enjoyed big productivity increases and been able to sell fruits in local markets. Data is being collected by BARI on a constant basis and will be made available in final form in July [2015]. There is ongoing heavy demand from conventional brinjal farmers for access to the new Bt brinjal varieties."

 

If you have any further questions, please ask. 

 

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Friday, 14/08/2015 10:32

Earlier this year, Jon Entine from Genetic Literacy Project wrote an article about the Bt brinjal issue you're referencing, including claims made in the New Age article and other sources, explaining that those claims are not consistent with local journalists and independent agencies. 

 

 

Entine further discusses the current situation on the ground in Bangladesh and notes that "the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), the government-run agency that developed and owns Bt brinjal in Bangladesh, visited all of the fields mentioned."  You can read BARI's rejoinder in response to the report here.

 

Entine reports, "Overall in Bangladesh 108 farmers are currently growing Bt brinjal seeds provided by BARI. According to the latest provisional performance information, nationally only 8% of the farms have suffered severe loss from bacterial wilt—a lower number than might be expected in an average year. 

 

"The rest of the farms have seen good fruiting and farmers have enjoyed big productivity increases and been able to sell fruits in local markets. Data is being collected by BARI on a constant basis and will be made available in final form in July [2015]. There is ongoing heavy demand from conventional brinjal farmers for access to the new Bt brinjal varieties."

 

If you have any further questions, please ask.