January 18, 2008
USGC breaking down Spanish resistance to GM grains
Education on biotechnology and the EU's grain shortage are whittling down a long standing tradition in Spain resisting GM crops, according to US Grains Council.
Last week, the US sold 2.5 million bushels of corn for shipment to Spain, the first of this magnitude to Spain since 1998-99, Chris Corry, US Grains Council director of international operations sale said in a USGC press release.
Corry said biotechnology was the primary trade barrier which held Spain back from buying US corn.
Due to dramatic feed grains shortages in the EU, biotechnology restrictions and an rising world wheat demand, Spain had purchased significant quantities of sorghum from the US in late 2007, Corry noted.
European importers were estimating the region would need 17 to 18 million tonnes of feed grain imports in 2008 due to drought conditions.
Spain imported more than 588,100 tonnes of sorghum in the 2006/07 crop year, nearly ten times as much as it imported in the same period a year ago.
The USGC is riding on the momentum to generate more exports.
Recently, The USGC President's Mission in December, which included the National Sorghum troducers (NSP), traveled to Europe and northern Africa to assess the status of European and Moroccan feed grain markets and the impact of Council programming in the region.
While there, the trade delegation met with producers, feed millers and processors to educate them on the safety and quality of feed grains derived from GM crops.
Commenting on high grain prices currently, Dale Artho, US Grains Council chairman said the timing is right to try and educate the EU's grain industry about biotechnology and elicit their support in addressing policy.
Artho added that feed millers were especially receptive to the idea of relaxing the EU GMO policies for US corn.
Spain's purchase of US corn is reflective of the Council's education efforts and gives US producers reason to be optimistic about the potential to export such grains to Europe, he said.
