Highlights of Biotech Industry in 2012 (part 1)

Market

• Biotech crops in South Africa have for the second consecutive year increased by 100,000 hectares to a record 2.3 million hectares (2.2 million in 2010) in 2011.

• Despite protests last spring, the Rothamsted Research Institute plans to move forward with planting genetically modified wheat in Hertfordshire, England, in 2013.

• Fewer and fewer field trials with genetically modified plants are conducted in Europe. For the year 2012 in the European Union until May only 41 new applications have been submitted for release of genetically modified (GM) crops. In 2009 there were over 100 new applications, but since then the tendency is steadily decreasing.

• Global plantings of genetically crops rose by 8% in 2011 taking the total area of biotech crops in the world to 160 million ha.

• GM rice expected to receive commercial approval in the Philippines in 2013.

• Iran's National Biosafety Law states that Bt cotton, Bt sugar beet, herbicide tolerant canola and Bt alfalfa are the next GM crops to be released in the next 5 years.

• Kenya is implementing guidelines to facilitate the commercialization of genetically modified crops by 2014 as part of efforts to boost environmental conservation and export crop production.

• Monsanto has been given government permission to conduct a third round of trials of its genetically modified (GM) maize in Pakistan.

• Monsanto issued a statement confirming the validity of the patents on the technology present in Roundup Ready (RR) soybean, until 27 May 2014.

• Mexico has decided to postpone approval of large-scale GM corn fields.

• The Government of Mexico (GOM) announced the approval of three pilot permits for genetically enhanced (GE) corn to be grown on 1,006 hectares in the state of Tamaulipas.

• Official permission for the growing of genetically modified (GM) crops on a large scale in Vietnam may not be realized until 2015. The first GM plant to be grown may be corn.

• Origin Agritech Ltd said it expects the Chinese government to approve its genetically modified organism (GMO) corn for production in 2013, China's first GMO strain in commercial production.

• Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture and Chinese Center for transfer of agricultural technologies in Sudan, Al Fao Farmers Council agreed to grow genetically engineered Chinese cotton in Al Rahad Agricultural Scheme in the regions of Gadarif and eastern Sudan.

• The total surface area of land cultivated with genetically modified corn in Romania moves downwardly and most likely this year there will be 300 less hectares cultivated with GM corn.

• Trials of genetically modified eggplant started in the Philippines in April. The GM eggplant has been designed to contain the Bacillus thuringiensis gene.

• Uganda is considering a law to allow genetically modified crops to boost production, according to an industry group supporting biotech crops.

• Uganda expects to take its first genetically modified crop to the market in 2014 when a regulatory framework to guide production will have been enacted.

to be continued……