September 23, 2008

Tasmanian Greens have said that the decision by Roberts Ltd. to stop selling rapeseed into the Tasmanian market was a clear signal that contamination of rapeseed in Australia was a real issue for other states.

Grain supplier Roberts Ltd said it would stop supplying to the state due to its zero tolerance policy for GM crops. The rest of Australia sets a policy of 0.5 percent tolerance. 

Tasmanian farmers now clearly have a massive financial opportunity to become suppliers of the potentially lucrative 100 percent GM-free rapeseed for food consumption throughout the world, but the State government must come up with a strategy that will enable farmers to seize this unique opportunity, said Kim Booth, spokesperson for Greens Shadow Primary Industries.

Australia is one of twenty rapeseed producers world-wide but only two grows GM rapeseed, Canada and the USA. Just two countries trade rapeseed internationally with Canada supplying around 70 percent and Australia about 30 percent.

Booth added that if Tasmania stands strong and maintains its GM-free status, with a zero threshold for GM contamination, and quarantine in place, Tasmania has the opportunity to be the GM-free rapeseed developer and supplier to Australia and the world.