BANGALORE: Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness And Education, a coalition of agricultural scientists, said commercialization of Bt Brinjal should be allowed immediately.

A former scientist with the US department of Agriculture (USDA) and member of the foundation, Shanthu Shantaram, called environmental activist Vandana Shiva and convener of gene campaign Suman Sahai ‘scaremongers'.

"I've been a scientist for the past 25 years and I have done studies on bio-safety and risk assessment of genetically modified (GM crops) around the world. Bt brinjal has no environmental impact," he said.

"Poor farmers will benefit from GM crops because they don't require much pesticide. The anti-Americanization lobby is holding these protests. Farmer leaders are politically motivated," he added.

C Kameshwara Rao, former professor of Bangalore University, who is also a member of the forum, said that, currently, the marketable yield of brinjal is 60 to 70%, but it can be 95% after the Bt gene is introduced.

They said the foundation is self-funded and regularly organizes meets to push genetically modified crops.