October 26, 2006

Mexico still years away from planting GM corn

Mexico is unlikely to produce GM corn commercially anytime soon, even though it is  allowing the planting of GMO corn test crops, biotech firm Monsanto said on Tuesday (Oct 24).

Mexico's agriculture ministry said last week rules allowing biotech companies to grow GMO corn test crops would be laid out in two weeks.

These experiments would take time and Mexico would have to set out another set of rules if commercial production and sale of GM corn were to take place, Monsanto executive Jesus Perez said.

It would take at least three years before GM corn can be made available to Mexican farmers, Perez said, provided everything is smooth sailing.

Mexico imports vast quantities of US corn and corn seeds and is itself a major corn producer.