Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 7 • Number 15 • 7th September 2007

GMO UPDATE: BRAZIL, INDIA PAVE WAY FOR NEW CROPS; PERU BANS BIOTECH POTATOES

Do More

Download this issue

See also

GMO UPDATE: BRAZIL, INDIA PAVE WAY FOR NEW CROPS; PERU BANS BIOTECH POTATOES

Brazil and India have recently taken measures that signal a growing acceptance of new genetically modified (GM) crops — although these measures also face fierce criticism. In Brazil, two GM corn varieties are progressing through the regulatory approval progress, and a Brazilian company, EMBRAPA, has developed the country’s first commercial biotech soybean in collaboration with BASF, a multinational company. Meanwhile, the Indian government is allowing large-scale field trials of GM eggplant.

In contrast, the regional government of Cusco in Peru — the area potatoes originate from — decided in late July to ban modified varieties of potatoes. A new public order forbids the sale, cultivation, use and transport of biotech potatoes as well as other food crops native to the region.

Brazil approves guidelines for monitoring and coexistence of GM corn

16 August Brazil’s biosafety committee, CTNBio, approved two sets of guidelines governing the use of GM corn. These guidelines, covering monitoring and coexistence, are conditional for the commercial release of GM corn Liberty Link produced by Bayer CropScience.

CTNBio initially approved Liberty Link for commercial release in May. However, Brazil’s legislation requires transgenic crops to be planted under specific schemes that also must be approved by the commission.

The new coexistence plan allows GM and non-GM corn to coexist in the same field. It establishes a minimum distance of 100 meters between GM and non-GM corn grown for commercial use. A distance of 20 meters is allowed if the crops are separated by a ten-row vegetable ‘fence’, made up of plants of a size and growth cycle similar to that of corn. The monitoring plan is not yet available.

The approval of the coexistence plan drew criticism from seven of the twenty-seven members of CTNBio. These members said that the discussions had focused on the commercial release of GM corn rather than on dealing with biosafety issues. In a statement to the press, they said that "Biosecurity must not be confused with the explicit flag of ‘adopting transgenics’ in the country. We cannot vote without considering the precaution principle and the interests of the Brazilian society." Environmentalists have also complained that Liberty Link corn has not been adequately tested in Brazilian conditions. The 11-member National Council on Biosecurity will now assess the plans and take a final decision before Liberty Link can be planted commercially.

Also on 16 August, CTNBio approved the commercial release of another variety of GM corn, Guardian produced by Monsanto Co., resistant to Lepidoptera insects.

Brazil develops GM soybean

In early August, Brazilian Enterprise Agropecuary Research (EMBRAPA) announced that it had developed the country’s first genetically modified soybean for commercial purposes in cooperation with the world’s largest chemical company BASF. The transgenic soybean is resistant to imidazolinone herbicide, which competes with glyphosate, the main ingredient of herbicide Roundup developed by Monsanto Co.

According to EMBRAPA, several bio-security tests are being carried out to check the plant’s impact on the environment and humans. The results will be sent to the CTNBio, which is in charge of authorising the project.

BASF’s Biotechnology Manager in Brazil, Luiz Carlos Louzano, said he expects the new soybean to take over up to 20 percent of the Brazilian market, and compete with Monsanto. Brazilian Media reported that the new GM soybean will reach the market by 2012.

Brazil is one of the world’s major soy producers and exporters.India approves large-scale field trials of GM brinjal

In mid-August the Indian government approved large-scale field trials of four varieties of Bt brinjal (eggplant), promising better yield with less use of pesticides. "The large-scale field trials of a GM crop have been allowed for the first time," an environment and forest ministry official said. The crops will be tested at 13 locations in the country until April next year. The trials will not be conducted in fields owned by farmers, but in Indian Council for Agricultural Research farms under the direct supervision of the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR). This decision follows from protests by farmers in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over field trials of Bt rice.

Speaking out againt the decision, the director of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Dr G.V. Ramanjaneyulu, said trials should not be allowed until complete bio-safety data is generated on Bt brinjal. "It is unfortunate that the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) [of the environment ministry] has allowed large-scale trials of Bt brinjal without biosafety having been cleared and without making the data public. In the process, it is breaking its own rules which were reiterated in its June 2007 meeting," said Dr Ramanjaneyulu. "Some of the prescribed tests like foliar feeding studies (which have been mandated after reports of animal mortality and morbidity after open grazing on Bt cotton fields) have not been completed on Bt brinjal," he noted.

GM potatoes banned in Cusco region, Peru

On 19 July, the regional government of Cusco in Peru made a decision to ban modified varieties of potatoes public. The order forbids the sale, cultivation, use and transport of biotech potatoes, as well as other native food crops. The Cusco region is the world centre of potato diversity, and local farmers’ organisations fear that genes from biotech potatoes could transfer into local varieties and alter their unique properties.

The head of the region’s government environmental office, Abel Caballero, proposed the ban "in recognition of the historical, cultural, social and economic importance of the potato and other native crops to the Cusco Region."

Dr. Michael Pimbert, director of the sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and livelihoods program at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) commented that "With this decision to keep GM crops out of one of the world’s most diverse centres of potato and other Andean crops, the regional government of Cusco has acted wisely and with courage". He added that the government "has put issues of food security, human well-being and the environment first and foremost at a time when most national governments persist in their failure to implement international agreements to protect the environment and human rights."

"Controversy over GM corn approval in Brazil", CHECKBIOTECH, 23 August 2007; "Brazil Biosafety Commission Approves Monsanto GMO Corn", DOWN JONES, 20 August 2007; "Brazil Develops its First Genetically Modified Plant", CHINAVIEW, 7 August 2007; "Activists Cry Foul Over Trials of Bt Brinjal", THE ECONOMIC TIMES, 21 August 2007; "Green Signal to Genetic Food", HINDUSTAN TIMES, 18 August 2007; "New GM Crops Approved in Colombia", ISAAA, 10 August 2007; "Peru’s Ancient Inca Capital Bans Transgenic Potatoes", ENS, 19 July 2007.