December 1, 2006
Egypt wants to explore biotech wheat
Egypt is "very interested" in developing a regulatory system that would allow for the introduction of genetically engineered crops, the head of the Kansas Wheat Commission said Thursday (Nov 30) in a press release.
However, it is critical for the US to dispel ideas among Middle Eastern and east African wheat buyers that the US is the only country working on biotech wheat, Chief Executive Dusti Fritz said.
Fritz recently addressed the issue of biotech wheat with approximately 200 trade contacts at US Wheat Associates' Middle East/East Africa crop quality seminar. She stressed that the US is not the only country researching biotechnology and that biotech crops are being used globally, according to the release.
"Overall, it was very apparent that education of buyers and consumers is still a critical need," Fritz said.
US wheat acres have decreased during the past 20 years as biotech corn and soybean crops have increased their acreage, Fritz noted. Wheat yields have increased four times slower than corn yields, she said.
Wheat producers want to work with buyers to commercialise a biotech trait in wheat, she said.
"Most buyers commented that if there is science available that proves biotechnology is safe, and the message reaches consumer levels, then worldwide acceptance could be attained," Fritz said. "Specifically in Egypt, the government is very interested in developing some type of regulatory system that would allow for the introduction of biotech crops to be planted."
Fritz said buyers found it interesting that Australia, Canada and European countries are funding or working with others on specific traits. She referenced a report by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications that states biotech crops are being planted by 8.5 million farmers on 222 million acres in 21 countries.
Potential areas of benefit from genetic engineering include herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, virus resistance and drought tolerance, Fritz said.
