Environment Minister Veerappa Moily has cleared field trials for genetically modified crops rice, wheat, maize and cotton.

Moily cleared a Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, GEAC decision to allow gene modification field trials for these food crops after the same was put on hold for about a year by his predecessor, Jayanthi Natarajan. Explaining his decision, Moily said, there was some misunderstanding over the issue and there was no embargo from Supreme Court on such confined trials.

Moily, however, made it clear that the trials are subject to approval by state governments and fulfilment of certain
conditions. The clearance will enable companies such as Bayer Bioscience, Mahyco and BASF and Monsanto India to carry out field trials for the crops.

Earlier, Natarajan had blocked the approval obtained by GEAC in March of last year, reportedly because the issue was pending in the apex court. Moily said that the Environment Ministry, Agriculture Ministry and the Department of Biotechnology had a common position on the issue, which would be placed before Supreme Court. The next meeting of GEAC has been called on March 21 to discuss some more issues.