October 3, 2006

More GM soy exported through Brazil's Paranagua port 

Exports of genetically modified soybeans have surpassed exports of conventional soy by nearly 50,000 tonnes in August at Paranagua port in Parana state, until now the only anti-transgenic port in Brazil.

According to a maritime shippers association, Sindapar, 205,000 tonnes of transgenic soy were shipped out of Paranagua in August compared to 154,000 tonnes of conventional soy.

Larger volume of GM soy is expected in September, considering a federal judge in Parana ordered two more port terminals to store and transport transgenic soybeans.

Paranagua port was Brazil's leading soy export terminal, but the governor Roberto Requiao took a position against transgenic soy shortly after he was elected four years ago. The transgenic debate has gone back and forth between courts for the past two years.

On Sep 15, the federal court in Parana ordered berths 212 and 213 in the export corridor to permit transgenic soy shipments. Previously, only one private berth was permitted to export transgenic soybeans. Ships docked on Sep 20 to load GM soy for the first time at these two berths, Sindapar said.

The change will allow Parana soy cooperatives to ship soy out of Paranagua instead of having to pay extra transportation costs to ship from Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul ports in the south.

Brazil first permitted transgenic soy in Apr 2005. Monsanto's Roundup Ready is the only transgenic soy permitted in Brazil. Various crop science companies, including the state run Embrapa, create different varieties based on the Monsanto technology.

Brazil is the world's no. 2 soy exporter behind the US.