August 27, 2012

 

 

A local research firm and farmer scientists' group recommend the Philippine government not to fully patronize the use of genetically-modified corn as it leaves most farmers bankrupt and heavily indebted.

 

IBON Foundation and farmer-scientists group Masipag said that while adoption of GM corn resulted to higher yield, the Department of Agriculture should stop promoting the controversial crop and should instead strictly observe protocols before any additional GM crops are released in Philippine farms, including conducting a thorough assessment of the effects of GM corn.

 

Interviews showed farmers with small landholdings, estimated to be around 270,000, mostly end up bankrupt and indebted to traders who are also their financiers.

 

IBON learned from local government officials that they are encouraging the farmers to shift to hybrid corn because the cost of producing hybrid corn is cheaper. Farmers said they have no choice because the traders would not provide them lending unless they use GM corn.

 

Worse, the cost of GM Corn seeds has increased by 282% from its introductory price.

 

The Roundup herbicide which was then packaged with the GM Corn seeds is now sold separately by traders.

 

GM corn seeds alone eat up 18% to 21% of the farmers' total cost of production. Fertilizers eat up around 23% of the total cost of producing GM corn.

 

Farmers also complained of high-interest payments to traders-financiers. Payments on interest from loans to traders, including mark-up on prices of inputs, eat up 26% of the small farmers' total cost of production.

 

Moreover, the study noted the adverse impact on environment and health in farming GM corn, citing for instance, farmers' testimonies that although they would have initial good harvest, the crops need increasing volumes of fertilizer because of increased pestilence.

 

The herbicide-tolerant Bt corn requires increasing the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient of the Roundup herbicide introduced by Monsanto, the agrochemical corporation that introduced Bt corn and later on Roundup-Ready GM corn in the country.

 

Health issues have also been noted. The study found that farmers allegedly experienced stomach pains, diarrhea, chest pains, itching and skin allergies reportedly after prolonged exposure to Bt corn. Farmers and their families have also reportedly experienced numbness of lips and tongue after eating young GM corn.

 

Despite being standard protocol, the Bureau of Plant Industry, the country's GM crops monitoring and regulatory agency, has not conducted any post monitoring on the impact of GM corn commercial propagation on the environment and health of corn farmers and their families, including the livestock that directly consume GM corn as feeds, IBON said.