January 12, 2011

 

Japan to join with DuPont unit for non-GM corn 

 

 

Japan's National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations said Tuesday (Jan 11) it has tied up with DuPont Co.'s seed division to secure stable stocks of non-genetically modified corn, local news reported.

 

Under a five-year contract, the federation, known as JA Zen-Noh, will commission Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. to develop non-genetically modified corn seeds and will provide the seeds to US farmers in a bid to import non-genetically modified feed corn into Japan.

 

The deal comes at a time when it has become difficult to secure non-genetically modified seeds as US farmers have increasingly switched to genetically modified corn varieties that have higher productivity.

 

There is strong resistance to genetically modified crops in Japan, which depends on US and other imports for most of its feed corn supply for livestock.

 

JA Zen-Noh plans to secure about 500,000 tonnes of the around 650,000 tonnes of non-genetically modified feed corn that Pioneer handles annually.