Also in India, a controversial farming method is under fire today. The use of the hormone oxytocin is know to make plants grow bigger, but can also result in cancer and other deformities.
Farmers in India's northern Punjab state are injecting the hormone oxytocin into plant roots to get more yield and bigger-sized produce.
They use it despite knowing the health hazards posed by the enzyme.
[Chanchal Singh, Farmer]: (Punjabi male)
"We use oxytocin because fertilizers are very costly. By injecting oxytocin into plants, the vegetables grow faster and are bigger in size, which benefits us. We know that oxytocin is injurious to health but fertilizers are too costly and we cannot afford it."
The menace connected with the injection of oxytocin into vegetables came to light in a number of villages.
When vegetables containing the hormone are eaten, cancer and other deformities can result.
[Amar Singh, Doctor]: (Hindi male)
"Oxytocin, which the farmers inject into plants, is injurious to the health of human beings. Pregnant ladies can end up with pre-term labor or miscarriage leading to ECG (electrocardiogram) changes, hypertension and low blood pressure for heart patients. Farmers don't know the quantity of oxytocin that can be used."
Oxytocin is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter and plays an important role in female reproduction.
Previously oxytocin was used to increase milk production in animals, but the practice was banned by the Indian government.
