March 7, 2005

 

GMO corn ready to take root in Argentina

 

 

Argentina, an enthusiastic grower of genetically modified soy from the outset, is now turning its gaze to new GMO corn technologies to boost yields and lower farmers' production costs.

 

The government is seen approving two new varieties of GMO corn in the next two years to reach a total of seven.

 

The world's number two grower of GMO crops after the United States, Argentina is also the second-largest corn exporter. Local corn lobby Maizar is anxiously awaiting the new approvals.

 

Monsanto, the US biotech pioneer whose Roundup Ready soybeans are popular in Argentina, hopes to get the go-ahead on a corn variety that combines Bt and Roundup Ready genes to resist both insects and glyphosate herbicide.

 

"This would be revolutionary and could end up being seeded on more than 70 per cent of corn area within five years," said Pablo Vaquero, seeds director at Monsanto Argentina.

 

Bt-brand corn already covers 60 per cent of the 3.4 million hectares planted this season and farmers could quickly adopt the new version, Maizar's President Juan Avellaneda said.

 

Jorge Eduardo Rulli, co-founder of the local, anti-GMO Group for Rural Reflection said, "The government is acting irresponsibly. This further commits Argentina to being the world's biotechnology laboratory."

 

"These decisions should be made after public debate. Most people don't even know what GMOs are," Rulli added.

 

In Europe, many environmental and consumer groups fiercely oppose biotech crops because they say their safety has not been proven. But many in Argentina feel it is time for the country to forge its own path on GMO policy-making.

 

The government is expected to first approve another corn known as HX I, designed by US firms Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Dow AgroSciences (DOW.N: Quote, Profile, Research) to resist both corn borer insects and glufosinate-ammonium herbicide.

 

The variety would be especially useful in northern regions plagued by this specific pest, says Pioneer.

 

"We think that conditions are ripe for this event to be approved this year. It is in the final stage of the approval process," said Tomas Sundblad, Pioneer's manager of regulatory affairs in Argentina.

 

Moises Burachik, coordinator of the government's Biotechnology Office, confirmed that two types of new GMO corn could be approved but he gave no further details.