August 30, 2001
Source: The Economics time
Avesthagen and Genetic ID in Global Lab Alliances

The Bangalore-based Life science platform Avestha Gengraine Technologies (AGT) has announced an exclusive tie-up with the US-based Genetic Id Inc, thus becoming the first Indian Company to offer globally approved testing and certification for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s).

Speaking on the significant tie-up, Dr. Sarasija Padmanabhan, spokesperson for AGT said, This endeavour of AGT marks yet another pioneering step for the Company in its vision to become an integrated solution provider to this nascent albeit high potential.”

Dr. Bill Thompson, Vice-President, Genetic ID maintained, “ Genetic ID, as the global leader in GMO testing and non-GMO certification, is happy to have reached agreement with a very professional and reputable company such as AGT as our licensee in India. We feel that providing the highest quality, international recognized GMO testing methods in India is very important at this time.

We feel that on the basis of Genetic ID and AGT providing GMO testing services to the Indian food and feed companies, export opportunities will be greatly enhanced throughout the world where GMO labeling laws are being enforced. We see this service as a critical way to greatly increase Indian Agricultural and food exports in a timely and significant way.”

Analysts consider this as an important dimension as India’s presence in the Global Biotechnology arena gains momentum, which would necessarily require testing and certification of GMO. AGT, through this exclusive tie-up, will be able to provide the agriculture and food industry with internationally accepted certification, and unleashing the latent potential of this industry, analyst concurs.