Awareness about genetically modified foods among potential consumers

Applications of biotechnology in agriculture have several benefits. Some of the essential advantages include possibility to increase productivity and food availability through better agronomic performance of new varieties including resistance to pests, greater stability in farm production, reduced need for expensive inputs, ability to obtain natural plant products using tissue culture and conversion of crop residues to other value-added foods. GM technology is being also used in the crops such as cauliflower, cabbage, chickpea, maize, okra, pigeonpea, sorghum etc for incorporating the desired characters such as pest resistance, nutritional enhancement and production of vaccines. Consumers and public in general have a considerable amount of suspicion and confusion regarding GM foods due to probable affects of them on health and environment. Even scientists are skeptical about GM foods. Some leaders of farmers feel adverse health and environmental impacts especially in the biodiversity-rich tropics and socio-economic aspects. With this background the present study has been conducted to understand awareness about GM foods among potential consumers of Bangalore and their willingness to buy GM foods. The townships of Bangalore city namely Sahakara Nagar, Judicial Layout and Yelahanka were purposefully selected. In total a sample of 50 was taken. The results revealed that majority (78.00%) of the consumers expressed that GM food was artificial followed by 64.00 per cent of the respondents who were of the opinion that consuming Bt brinjal/GM vegetables was allergic to human beings. About 60.00 per cent of the respondents viewed that cultivation of GM crops might lead to loss of original plant varieties. Majority (54.00%) of the potential consumers agreed that GM crops might reduce pesticide application; a considerable number (54.00%) was unwilling to buy GM foods