Overview

• GTRI cautioned on July 5 that including US-sourced GM animal feed ingredients such as soybean meal and DDGS in a provisional trade agreement could jeopardize India’s exports to the European Union.
• Negotiations between India and the US are ongoing with a formal deal expected by July 9 and no final decision reached on GM feed import provisions.
• The EU’s stringent GM labelling requirements and widespread buyer preference for fully GM-free supply chains raise the risk of shipment rejections and added compliance costs.
• India’s fragmented agricultural logistics and lack of dedicated segregation systems increase the chance of cross-contamination between GM imports and non-GM exports.
• GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava urged the establishment of robust traceability and labelling measures to protect India’s GMO-free reputation in sensitive sectors such as rice, tea, honey, spices and organic foods.