May 31, 2006

 

GM corn meets resistance in the Philippines due to pricing 

 

 

The high cost of seeds of the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn may discourage more farmers from using it despite results of a survey showing that users of the controversial crop have grown in number, the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines said.

 

The number of farmers planting Bt corn has been steadily rising since its first commercial release in Dec 2002. However, seed producers must make the cost of the planting materials low and affordable to sustain the momentum, Godfrey Ramon, a researcher for the coalition, said in a statement.

 

The seeds of Bt corn, said to be resistant to the Asian corn borer, costs approximately twice that of hybrid corn seeds that do not have the Bacillus thuringiensis gene.

 

On the other hand, some Bt corn farmers may no longer plant Bt corn because of the high cost of planting materials, he added.

 

This prompted the coalition to recommend making Bt corn more affordable through financing and credit schemes not only to attract new users but also to retain repeat users.

 

However Gloria Sabit, focal person of the Diocese of Marbel's anti-Bt corn advocacy, urged farmers to give up Bt corn due to its prohibitive prices.

 

Since traders buy both varieties for the same price after harvest, there would be little point in paying so much more for Bt corn, she said.

 

The diocese has been championing the anti-Bt corn movement as it believes such varieties pose dangers to human health.

 

According to the coalition's survey, farmers who tried planting Bt corn were generally satisfied because of the protection from corn borer, increased productivity, and less spraying of insecticide.

 

The survey revealed that farmers who planted Bt corn posted an average yield 13-percent higher than non-Bt corn users.