Mexico City, Mexico
April 30, 2007
by Arturo Barba,
from
SciDev.Net
Mexican farmers have signed an agreement with biotechnology
giant Monsanto to buy and
plant genetically modified (GM) maize.
According to the agreement signed earlier this month (18 April)
by Mexico's National Confederation of Corn Growers (CNPAMM) ―
affiliated with the umbrella agricultural association National
Campesino Confederation ― Monsanto will provide Mexican
producers with GM seeds, as well as initiate activities to
protect native maize, including setting up a maize germplasm
bank.
Many environmental and indigenous groups oppose the introduction
of GM plants, fearing that it may contaminate native varieties
of maize in the country.
Maize originated in Mexico and is home to 3,500 native
varieties. It is the main food crop in Mexico, its production
employing almost 12 million people.
The Mexican parliament's chamber of deputies has not yet
approved regulations for the experimental sowing of GM plants as
part of Mexico's biosecurity laws.
Francisco Lopez, Mexico's vice-minister for agriculture, said
the regulations will be published in the coming weeks, and tests
on GM maize will begin in the northern state of Sonora in
August.
Carlos Salazar, president of CNPAMM, estimates that more than 90
per cent of small and medium growers will use GM seeds to
improve productivity.
Jesus Madrazo, president of Monsanto Mexico, said the
commercialisation of GM maize will begin in 2010, once the
evaluation phases required by the biosecurity laws have been
completed.
Source:
El
Financiero & El Universal via
USDA/FAS GAIN
Report Number: MX7029
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200704/146280969.pdf
Transgenic
agreement signed by growers
Concerned that
Mexico has yet to join competing nations in the
development of genetically modified food crops, the
nation’s corn growers signed an agreement with
agribusiness giant Monsanto Wednesday to buy and
plant genetically altered seeds. The National
Confederation of Corn Producers (CNPAMM), which is
affiliated with the umbrella agriculture association
National Campesino Confederation (CNC) had been in
negotiations with Monsanto for months to come up
with a plan to convert some of the nation’s corn
crops to "technically improved" seeds in order to
resist plague and increase production. At a signing
ceremony Wednesday, the corn growers presented the
agreement as a plan to protect Mexico’s indigenous
corn varieties, as well as to introduce transgenic
seeding.
Nevertheless, the
accord is certain to run into opposition from
environmental groups, which have resisted the
introduction of genetically modified seeds partly on
the grounds that they would threaten native corn.
"Our position is that biotechnology must be
introduced, while respecting Mexican corn," said CNC
president Cruz Lopez. "We are satisfied that seed
companies such as Monsanto are cooperating with the
protection of Mexico’s native corn."
Cruz said Mexican
corn growers have suffered the consequences of being
"frozen out" of transgenic corn technology. He
called opponents "confused" and "dogmatic." Under
the plan, seeds that have been genetically modified
will be tested experimentally for yield and safety
beginning this year. In phase two, next year,
selected seeds will be put through a growing cycle
but will not be sold commercially. If all goes well,
commercial corn grown from transgenic seeds will be
planted by 2009 at the earliest. Lopez served as a
federal legislator for the Institutional
Revolutionary Party (PRI) from 2003-2006, when
Congress passed the Biosecurity and Genetically
Improved Organism law, which he says provides the
legal basis for the transgenic corn program. |
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