Brasília, Brasil
October 14, 2004
Nelson Motta
Repórter da Agência
Brasil
O presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva assina ainda hoje a
medida provisória (MP) que permite o plantio e a comercialização
da soja geneticamente modificada da safra de 2004/2005. A
informação foi dada pelo vice-líder do governo na Câmara,
deputado Beto Albuquerque (PSB-RS), que esteve com o presidente
no Palácio do Planalto.
"O presidente tomou a decisão e vai assinar hoje a MP que será
publicada amanhã no Diário Oficial. Esse é um assunto encerrado.
Cabe agora ao Congresso Nacional concluir a sua parte, que é a
regra geral de Biossegurança que o Brasil precisa, não só para a
soja, mas também para todo o processo de ciência que nós temos
que valorizar no Brasil", afirmou Albuquerque.
Segundo o více-líder, a MP também libera a comercialização da
safra transgênica até 2006. "A atual safra, que vai ser plantada
com sementes transgênicas, está autorizada a ser comercializada
até 2006. Isso foi apenas uma previsão legal que nós achamos que
deveríamos incluir na medida provisória. Para não deixar
dúvidas, já delimitamos o tempo de comercialização para todo o
ano de 2006 e o plantio para 2004/2005".
Brazilian farmers can legally grow GM
soy this season- President Lula da Silva signs executive order
October 15, 2004
Source:
Soyatech, Inc.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva signed an executive order Thursday night to allow
the planting and trade of genetically modified soy for the
2004-2005 season only. The order allows farmers to plant the GM
beans until December 31st, 2004. The resulting crop may be sold
until January 31st, 2006, but that deadline may be extended
another 60 days.
Pending legislation would have legalized GM soy outright, but it
has been delayed in revisions. Given that planting has already
begun, waiting for this Biosafety Bill to pass was increasingly
not seen as an option.
"The president had no way out," affirms Leon Klein of Klein
Commodities in Sao Paulo, "The way it looks now, every state in
Brazil is growing GM beans. About 20% of Brazil's soy crop is
expected to be genetically modified. I see it as something
inevitable that the farmers will grow GM."
Since that was the case, Lula da Silva had to find a solution
that would allow Brazil to legally sell its crop. Since no
option was immediately apparent from the legislature, he
reinstituted the temporary fix he initiated last fall,
legalizing GM soy only for the immediate future.
"It's like making rain where it was already wet," says Mr.
Klein.
The executive order is too late to make much difference in Mato
Grosso, Mr. Klein says, but the crop in southern states of
Brazil may be 90% or more genetically modified.
Still, he doesn't expect this to be a major force in commodity
markets. "I don't see how Brazil can really affect the markets,"
he says, "because this was already expected."
(c) 2004 Soyatech, Inc. |