Vietnam to test-grow GM crops next year
02-OCT-2008 Intellasia | Saigon Times Daily page 2
Oct 2, 2008 - 7:00:00 AM
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Vietnam will import genetically-modified corn seeds next year for trial farming in two-years before starting the cultivation en masse, said a biologist at a seminar in HCM City on Monday.
Nguyen Quoc Binh, deputy director of the HCM City Bio-Technology Centre, said that the trial cultivation was aimed to assess productivity and impacts of GM food. If the results are positive, GM crops will be widely cultivated in the country, Binh told the seminar on bio-technology in farming co-organised by his centre and the US consulate general in HCM City.
"Earlier next year, some Vietnamese seedling companies will import GM corn seeds from the Philippines, where soil conditions are similar to Vietnam's,' he said, adding the legal corridor was now available for such trial cultivation.
In August 2005, the government issued a decree on bio-technology safety, with provisions on research, import or cultivation of GM crops. Under the decree, Vietnam does not prohibit GM crops.
In January 2006, the prime minister approved a programme on bio-technology development and application until 2020, including conditions for introducing GM crops. Accordingly, certain types of GM strains should be created and cultivated on a trial basis between 2006 and 2010.
Between 2010 and 2015, according to the programme, such GM crops should be widely introduced so that the area under biotech crops should account for over 70% of the total arable land from 2015 onwards, and that of GM crops should make up 30% to 35%.
"The orientations for long-term development as well as the legal corridor for GM crops have been available, despite the lack of detail guidelines from relevant ministries and agencies," Binh said. He however expected that criteria on biotech safety for GM seeds should be introduced by relevant authorities late this year or early next year, and the commercialisation of GM seeds should begin after 2011.
Asked why corn is selected for this trial launch of GM crops, Binh said the staple produce is mainly for the husbandry sector, and the area under corn cultivation in the country is large, estimated at 1.1 million hectares.
The annual corn output in Vietnam is estimated at 4.1 million tonnes, which still falls short of demand for the husbandry sector, so local feed processors are importing up to 700,000 tonnes of corn from the US and other major producers.
Binh said local seedling companies could contact major seedling companies in the world with strength in GM seeds such as Monsanto to import seeds for the trial cultivation.
While the legal platform for GM food is available, the public acceptance is also wide, according to Binh.
The HCM City Bio-Technology Centre has conducted a survey among corn farmers in several localities across the country. Over half of the respondents said they would buy the pest— resistant GM seeds immediately for their corn crop, while 30% said they would buy the seed later. Some 14% were hesitant over the GM corn crop, and 5% said they would hold a wait-and-see attitude.
Only a trivial fraction steadfastly rejected the GM crop, Binh said.
He estimated that a hectare of GM corn crop would help increase the 'farmer's income by US$100, or U$100 million of extra benefits nationwide.
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