THE TRAGEDY OF Bt COTTON-A CURSE FOR SOME FARMERS?

GM agricultural crops for which seeds have to be purchased every time a farmer wants to sow, are becoming more and more controversial and the latest sour note comes from the Vidharbha region in Maharashtra, India. It appears the wrong policy of indiscriminate encouragement for sowing Bt cotton has resulted in massive losses to many farmers who expected bumper crops by switching over to this GM crop during the last two years. The dramatic decline in yield seems to have pushed many farmers to penury and how the government is going to tackle this human tragedy remains to be seen. How far the government can offer crop subsidy to these unfortunate victims of corporate greed is a policy issue that will create undesirable precedents in future. Here is a commentary on this human drama unfolding in the region.    

"The study, in which farmers and farm labourers in Jalgaon and Yawatmal districts were interviewed, says, "70 per cent of the farmers stated that irrigation expenditure was more on Bt cotton than on non-Bt cotton." Though it claims that productivity increased by 4.49 per cent from the pre-Bt to post-Bt period, costs too increased: especially fertilizer costs, which increased from 29 per cent in the pre-Bt period to 71 per cent in the post-Bt period. In all 140 farmers and 40 agricultural labourers were a part of the study. "Farmers in the central Indian region blamed the suicides mainly on low and erratic nature of rainfall as this was a rainfed region," it states. This adds to many of the recent indicators that question the sustainability of Bt cotton in Vidarbha. Vinayak Deshpande, member of the Kelkar Committee, appointed by the Maharashtra government to study the agrarian crisis in Vidarbha region and professor at the RTM Nagpur University said productivity of Bt cotton is closely linked to irrigation. "The region faces the largest irrigation backlog in the State, at 57.3 per cent. In physical terms, the irrigation backlog is at 10,76,000 hectares. The cost of this in 2008 was Rs. 10,767 crore," Dr. Deshpande told The Hindu on Thursday. The irrigation against potential in Vidarbha is only 40 per cent, whereas in the rest of Maharashtra it is more than 70 per cent, he added. Dr. Deshpande said subsidies for fertilizers and pesticides were also given more in irrigated areas. "High yielding varieties of crops like Bt cotton need more water as well, along with fertilizers. In the end, it is all linked to irrigation," he said. The government itself has acknowledged that irrigation is mandatory for Bt cotton. Speaking at an event organised by seed giant Monsanto in Pune in March this year, Maharashtra Agricultural Commissioner Umakant Dangat urged farmers to plant Bt cotton only in irrigated areas. "The farmers should use their discretion and plant BT cotton on irrigated land. The amount of water needed is definitely more," he had said.

Some body has to answer for this failure on the part of the agriculture department in the state which did nothing to discourage the farmers from using Bt cotton seeds in the first place. A larger question is why the government at the state and federal levels failed to develop the irrigation infrastructure in Vidharbha region, knowing pretty well that this is a drought prone area for the last 5 decades. Placing the blame on the door steps of the farmer is nothing but shirking the responsibility and this issue assumes a dangerous dimension if government does not exercise its power to persuade farmers from courting disaster, knowing pretty well that Bt cotton is not suited to rain fed cultivation. One of the tragedies in the farm front is the failure of the governments to guide farmers to select most profitable crops that will sustain under the conditions prevailing in different areas of the country. Distributing "alms" through massive agricultural subsidies is not governance and such dole out cannot create any permanent impact on agriculture productivity.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

TURBULENCE IN NON-CALORIE SWEETENER MARKET-WHO WILL BE THE WINNER?

Non-calorie sweetener market is considered to be a promising one with many major food players jumping into the band wagon to get a part of the pie. But there is little clarity regarding the likely winner in a fiercely competitive market though Stevia seems to be emerging as a favorite candidate to win the race. It is not that others are giving up so easily if serious questions regarding the advantages of Stevia, being hurled at this rapidly growing sweetener market are any indications. Most serious handicap for Stevia is that it has to undergo major extraction process with alcohol to obtain purer fractions with least after taste, thereby marring its claim to be natural. Here is an interesting compilation on the current situation vis -a- vis non-calories sweeteners market.

FoodNavigator-USA.com did a special edition "Where next for natural sweeteners?" Special editions are collections of previously published articles on topics of interest to this newsletter's food industry readers. Why do this? The holy grail of food technology is to find a no-calorie sweetener that tastes as good as sugar, has no bitter aftertaste, and can be marketed as "natural" because it's extracted from plants. Examples:Stevia extracted from leaves, Monk fruit sweetener. As with high fructose corn syrup, not everyone considers these sweeteners to be natural since they have to go through chemical processing steps. Stevia is extracted from leaves with ethanol. Whether this process can be considered natural is currentlyunder debate in Europe. Some European regulators prefer "extracted from a plant source." Here are some of the articles. For the complete collection, click here.

Monk fruit sweetener firm: 'We hear daily that people are looking for alternatives to stevia'

It might not have garnered as much publicity as stevia, but monk fruit (luo han guo) "has found a niche within the all-natural market but will hit mass market sooner than stevia in this space", according to one leading supplier... Read

Tate & Lyle: Monk fruit sweetener attracting most interest in dairy and beverages

Dairy and beverages are proving the most popular application areas for monk fruit sweetener Purefruit, says Tate & Lyle... Read

Different processes, lower cost, better taste: Is stevia still on track for mainstream success? Taste issues and high cost repeatedly have been raised as possible obstacles to widespread acceptance of stevia-derived sweeteners, but one of the many new suppliers entering the market claims that these are no longer the hurdles they once were... Read

Steviol glycosides are not 'all-natural', says new class action lawsuitA class action lawsuit filed in California this week argues that steviol glycosides should not be considered natural, owing to the "chemical processing" sometimes used to extract them from the stevia leaf... Read

Stevia buyers beware: There are some 'awful' extracts out there...

While traders "jumping in and out of the stevia marketplace" are disrupting prices and standards by peddling some "awful" extracts, high-quality stevia suppliers in it for the long-haul will ultimately prosper, according to one leading player... Read

Stevia in snacks and baked goods - stealth, competition, and potential

While stevia is beginning to take off in a number of baked goods and snack categories in the US, Asian and South American markets, some other emerging 'natural' sweeteners look ready to take it on in the segment, claims Datamonitor... Read

Naturally-positioned sweeteners to lead market growth: Report

The US alternative sweeteners market will grow by 3.3% a year to reach about $1.4bn in 2015 - and naturally positioned sweeteners like stevia and agave nectar will lead the way, claims a new report from market research organization Freedonia... Read

No matter which of the above candidates win the competition, one thing is certain- the fact that there is no going back on "natural" non-calorie sweeteners as far as the industry is concerned because of the huge market volume waiting to be tapped in the coming years. The pace at which new low calorie food products are being launched bears testimony to the demand that is emerging for such type of products among the consumers. For Diabetics and weight watchers including obese people, low calorie or sugar free food offer a life line which food industry is justified in exploiting.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "BEST BEFORE" DATE-ITS SIGNIFICANCE

Front of the pack labeling is a boon to the consumers who can decide about their food purchases based on nutrient make up and desirable features of the product they are buying. But there is one aspect about which lot of confusion still persists and this is regarding the expiration date indicated on the label. One may recall the clarion call by one of the ministers in British Government recently not to waste food unnecessarily and cautioning the citizens against throwing every food pack that has crossed the expiration date. The million dollar question is whether the food contents are still edible after the expiration date and how safe they are. It is generally understood that if the content in a food pack does not show any changes in terms of smell, texture and other physical characteristics, it can still be consumed and many people are doing precisely the same these days because of economic compulsions. This issue is assuming more importance with more and more people ignoring the "best before" date which may have some safety implications and same is the subject matter of a recent report. 

"Cash-strapped consumers are turning to a rather dangerous way to stretch their food dollars — they're ignoring expiration dates and keeping leftovers in the fridge for longer periods of time. In a recent survey, the Food Standards Agency in the UK found that one-third of respondents said that rather than throwing something out once it's expired, they rely on the look and smell of the food to gauge how safe it is to eat. And that can be risky. "With most of us seeing our weekly shopping bills increase over the last few years, we are all looking for ways to get the most out of our shopping budget," said Bob Martin, a food safety expert with the FSA, but he warns, "Bugs like E.coli and Salmonella don't cause food to smell off, even when they may have grown to dangerous levels. So food could look and smell fine but still be harmful." Andrew Wilson of the British Dietetic Association concurred and added, "A bout of food poisoning is not only unpleasant but could be potentially life threatening. There's no point in taking risks with food safety."

Of all the information contained on a label, expiration date is the most useful tool for the consumers obsessed with fresh foods. It is a common knowledge that the moment the food is harvested till it reaches the dining table, a series of chemical, physical and microbiological changes begin and what industry does is to extend the life of the material through processing and packing. But no matter what technology is deployed food continues to deteriorate, albeit slowly after processing, even under modified atmospheric conditions, and that is why expiration date is indicated for getting an idea of the time lapsed between manufacture and selling. In the true sense expiration date or "best before date" is only an estimate with regard to the eating quality of food and it does not reflect the safety limit. While consuming date expired foods, one has to make doubly sure that there are no hazardous microbial contamination that can cause injury to the consumer. This is more easily said than done. Probably a safe way of ensuring this is by heating the product sufficiently, if feasible, to destroy any microbes that might have gained entry into the packet.   

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE PALM OIL DILEMMA-INDIAN ROLE

Two countries which are on the dock for destroying forests at an alarming rate for cultivating commercial crops are Brazil and Indonesia. While sugar cane cultivation is being expanded recklessly after deforestation in Brazil, Indonesia is attracting world-wide criticism for the mindless destruction of its tropical forests for planting Oil Palm. The disastrous consequences of deforestation are well known in the form of increased carbon emissions worsening the global warming problem which is putting this planet on peril. Deforestation also destroys the flora and fauna of the region, hurtling some of them into extinction. The issue has two sides-one linked to the economic well being of people depending on palm cultivation and export of the oil while the other concerns the global community which is seriously worried about the ill-effects of green gas emissions. India has been dragged into this emerging controversy because of its over dependence on imported palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia. The complexity of the problem is addressed in the following critique though no solution seems to be in sight for overcoming the same.   

"The lush Indonesian rainforest cover is being stripped at an alarming rate for illegal logging and palm oil plantations due to demand for the commodity in India. Companies catering to domestic needs have failed to ensure clean and sustainable source of the cheap palm oil, resulting in the rapid destruction of the rainforest which is home to thousands of plant and animal species, a Greenpeace report has stated. The report 'Frying the forest – how India's use of palm oil is having a devastating impact on Indonesia's rain forests, tigers and the global climate', was released recently in Mumbai. "The issue is that India is the biggest importer of palm oil with imports of 7.2 million tonnes per year. As the world's largest user of palm oil, India has an opportunity and a responsibility to ensure that its purchases of products such as palm oil are coming from responsible sources and aren't linked to rain forest and peat land destruction, and the resulting climate-changing emissions," Nandikesh Sivalingam, Greenpeace forest campaigner, said during the release of the report here. Mr G. Chandrashekar, noted journalist, while releasing the report said that the world cannot survive without palm oil because it is a cheap source of calories, but neither can it afford to destroy its rainforests. He said it was time for oil-producing countries to follow strict rules and regulations to protect the rain forest".

Probably Governments in India during the last 3 decades are to be partially blamed for making the country over-dependent on imported edible oils. This is due to the faulty implementation of policies that would have allowed increased production of oils from sources like groundnut, mustard, sesame, soybean etc for which Indian farmer has the necessary experience. In stead a crop like sugar cane is promoted which has tremendous water requirement and other inputs like chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  The 1990 Oilseed Mission of Government of India, planned and executed with no missionary zeal had flopped wasting millions of rupees without any significant increase in production. The domestic production is almost stagnant during the last two decades while the demand was growing at a frenetic pace. The new certification system by the Greenpeace movement that promotes palm oil produced by sustaining cultivation practices is yet to be accepted universally and blaming India for buying this commodity from those producers who do not have such certification may not be justified. After all as a responsible government, it is its bounden duty to provide adequate food to its citizens and under the present conditions India does not seem to have any option but to continue to import palm oil from where ever it is available in the world market.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD FOR FUTURE-OPTIMISM IS THE KEY TO MEET THE CHALLENGE

Future challenges in meeting the demand for food by an ever increasing global population are considered to be daunting and this food insufficiency is already affecting millions of people, more common in the poor countries of Asia, Africa and South America. The problem is further compounded by enormous food wastage that takes place, especially in many developing countries reducing the availability further. Food wastage in wealthy countries has another dimension and this takes place mostly in the super markets, house hold kitchens and dining tables. Against such a situation how can the food insecurity which is expected to assume alarming proportion in a few years from now, can be overcome? Opinions differ among experts regarding the ability of this planet to achieve quantum jump in food production keeping in step with the growing population. Here is a take on this issue which reflects the optimistic view of some experts and opinion makers. 

"Last week at a three-day conference in Lexington, Ky., with food producers from 70 countries, Woroniecki said he learned that the world's population is expected to grow by 3 billion come 2050. He said that would require food-producing countries to produce one-third more food on the acres they currently have, and he believes the need can be met with the help of new methods and technology.  "The technology is there to do it, we just need be better at it," Woroniecki said. "We can better use technology, in regards to genetics of a herd and buying replacement stock suited for the environment. We can also do the best to work with nature and manage the extremes in weather, so there are fewer ups and downs in beef production." Crop production also must be elevated to meet consumption of a growing population, and Jim Bobb, grain division manager for Southwest Grain in Dickinson, said the advancements are out there to make it happen."Technology and equipment like GPS help to increase productivity and increase food supplies," he said. "My feeling, as I see it today, is that we will be able to keep up with the growing demand for food, but there's always the unforeseen, like extended droughts, that could change that."

Mention of GM technology as a possible route to achieve increased food production is however misleading because this particular crop manipulation method has not yet become universally accepted as many unanswered safety questions makes it suspicious in the eyes of the consumer. The most recent episode of cyanide poisoning of cattle in some ranches in the US, supposed to be due to consuming GM grass is a timely reminder about the uncertainties associated with gene tinkering and the consequences there of. But there are many new cropping technology emerging which can increase productivity very significantly and more attention needs to be focused on them. By far the most critical input for crop enhancement is water and world over water scarcity is staring at the farmers due to indiscriminate exploitation of ground water, enormous wastage and neglecting water conservation technologies. Drought resistant crops are being developed at a faster rate than ever and the answer to future food scarcity lies in achieving productivity with use of less and less water. Due to intensive agriculture during the last five decades, especially using mono culture, soil degradation is a very serious problem and reclaiming such lands will be another pre-requisite for increasing food production. Probably considering the many options available, there may be enough grounds for optimism that world will never run out of food in the foreseeable future.   

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

SUPER SIZED SODA AND POLITICS-WHAT IS THE REALITY?

Many ideas are emerging for the policy makers to attack the problem of food related health disorders such as over weight, obesity, CVD, diabetes etc. Unfortunately none of them seems to be working with many logistical and social problems cropping up during the translation of these policies into reality. Latest to arrive on the scene is a "ban" being attempted in New York by its well meaning Mayor to prevent the retailers from offering large volume beverage packs for sale. According to the framers of such a policy, consumers buy large sized bottles of high sugar beverages like soda, may be unconsciously, as a part of their mindset buying the most economic size disregarding the risks involved in consuming them regularly on their health. It makes sense because even the limited 16 ounce bottle, permitted under the proposed law, will provide more than 60 gm of sugar, much above the recommended level of 44 gm per day per adult by some health professionals. Naturally the question that begs for an answer is why such a size is selected knowing fully well the sugar load caused by consumption of a 16 oz bottle of soda. More shockingly the hostile reaction by many consumers to the above ban defies logic. It is interesting to listen to the comments by different groups to the ban proposal.  

"Reaction to the proposal came from many fronts on Thursday, falling along two general tracks. The idea was either sound health policy rooted in research, or a perfect illustration of a supersize government gone too far. Some health experts said there might be some correlation between restrictions on soft drinks — many locales, including New York, already ban or limit them from schools — and a leveling off, or in some places even a decline, in childhood obesity. But one researcher whose work was cited by City Hall in defense of the policy said in an interview Thursday that he did not think it would work. At least two candidates for next year's mayoral race also came out against the proposal Thursday, to varying degrees. Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker, said that by limiting personal choice, rather than promoting knowledge, "It seems to me to be more on the punitive side of things." And William C. Thompson Jr., the former city comptroller who lost to Mr. Bloomberg in 2009, released a statement saying, "This move does nothing to teach people about positive nutritional values and sounds more like parlor talk than real solutions for the obesity epidemic." The proposed ban — the first in the nation — would prohibit the sale of any cup or bottle of sweetened drink larger than 16 fluid ounces, though consumers would not be prohibited from getting refills or multiple servings.  It would apply to virtually an entire gamut of drinks including energy drinks and iced teas, but not to diet sodas, fruit juices, dairy drinks and alcoholic beverages, or to beverages sold in groceries or convenience stores. It would take effect in March 2013, after public hearings".
The attitude of the beverage industry is totally negative and instead of cooperating with the law makers who framed this policy in the interests of the citizens, industry has gone on a blitzkrieg attacking the government for this socially benevolent policy. In what way it is adversely affected by this new restrictions is not clear though there may be apprehensions about possible downturn in business which is misplaced. After all any one wanting to binge on high sugar beverages always has the option of buying more than one bottle of 16 oz till his hearts content! One is remained of the tactics of a reputed coffee chain which offers its products under the "small" category which itself has 12 oz while other versions have larger volumes of the drink! Though it has an 8 oz version also, 99% of the consumers never know about it as this is not offered unless one insists on it. Obviously industry does not want to do any thing related to consumer well being voluntarily and only such forceful measures can bring in results.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

EVOLUTION OF SKIN COLOR-A HISTORICAL INSIGHT

The old apartheid practices based on skin color have practically disappeared in most parts of the world while the American slavery system that used imported African people with dark colored skin remains only in memory. Probably if to day's knowledge about the role skin color plays in maintaining good health was known 300 years ago, people would have given more respect to a dark skinned person than what the latter received from their fair skinned cousins! For quiet some time knowledge about the critical role played by Vitamin D in bone formation and development was in the public domain and that this particular micro nutrient cannot be synthesized by the human body was also known. It is underneath the human skin that Vitamin D is formed from its precursors through the action of Ultra Violet Rays (UVR), so abundantly available to those living near the equator and the extent of synthesis is a function of time of exposure. The advantage of darker skin is that it not only allows synthesis of Vitamin D but also protects the skin from DNA damage eventually leading to skin cancer. It is not an accident that light skinned population generally live farther from the Equator where sun light is comparatively less and environmental temperature is low for people to be outside their homes for long time. Under such conditions protection from UV rays is not a major problem and that is how the pigmentation started declining progressively. This evolutionary development is purely a response to the environment and cannot be associated with any brain function. Thus color of the skin does not influence the IQ or any function associated with intelligence or skills. Here is a commentary on this interesting interpretation of the evolutionary development over the years.    

"The human lineage originated, and first flourished biologically and culturally, in Africa. Evolutionarily, each of us is African; the first people had darkly pigmented skin and were thus well-adapted to handle the high levels of UVR (ultraviolet radiation) in equatorial regions. As Jablonski explains in her talk, UVR has both benefits and costs for the human body. On the plus side, when it strikes the skin it catalyzes Vitamin D, which is essential for bone and immune health; on the minus side, it can cause DNA damage and skin cancers. In ancient Africa, melanin acted as a natural sun screen to protect people from the dangers while still allowing the benefits of Vitamin D synthesis from the sun. When people from some ancestral populations migrated north out of Africa, they encountered much less intense UVR. The previously adaptive sun screen of melanin was now a disadvantage, and thus lightly pigmented skin evolved. People with light skin in these northern regions spent enough time in the sun that, typically, their skin still synthesized adequate vitamin D, a process helped along in some areas by diets heavy in fish. What we have nowadays is also a balance of pluses and minuses: A lovely rainbow diversity of skin colors that reflects the map of our ancestors' relatively recent geography, and an unfortunate risk of vitamin D deficiency that comes with spending the bulk of our hours indoors in artificial light".

Vitamin D deficiency is manifested among people of all skin colors because of the new living style where exposure to sun light is progressively being reduced due to artificially lighted houses, heavy dependence on automobiles, less and less walking in the open and other undesirable practices. Of course there is a billion dollar industry riding on skin care products including sun screens which will help to some extent in lessening the dangers of incidence of cancer but choosing a right time for walking under the sun cannot  be of any risk as long as the exposure is not for long time. According to health experts even a daily 15 minutes exposure should be adequate for generating the required quantum of Vitamin D and maintain a blood level of 30 micro gram uniformly.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com