Japan okays biotech corn import

TOKYO, Japan — Three varieties of biotechnology-processed corn and soybeans recently passed stringent tests by Japan’s Health Ministry, paving the way for more information of these environment-friendly crop varieties.

The approval brings to a total of 43 varieties of six genetically-modified plants Japan has approved for human consumption, which include corn, soybean, sugar beet, potato, rapeseed and cotton.

The move enabled Japan to keep pace with the growing the Asian trend set by China and India for the adoption of biotechnology-processed plant types. China accounts for 3 percent of the world’s total biotech crops while the Indian government recently okayed the entry of biotech cotton. Thailand and Indonesia are currently undertaking their respective testing of biotech crops in line with urgent government programs to meet rising demand for staple foods while protecting their respective soil and environment.

The Philippine government is also currently testing a biotech corn variety that can resist the deadly Asiatic Corn Borer with little or no pesticide application.

Through biotechnology, certain genes are inserted into plants to give them natural resistance of specific plant pests and diseases. The natural resistance has resulted in significantly reduced requirement for toxic chemical insecticides. It is predominantly used in some 14 countries, including the US, Canada, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina.

Several international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the European Commission, the Third World Academy of Sciences and the national academies of science and technology of several countries have declared that biotech food crops "are as safe as any conventionally-bred crop and pose no additional threat to humans and the environment.

The United States Department of Agriculture also recently a sharp 13 percent increase in total acreage planted to biotech crops. Some 75 percent of US soybean acres are now planted with the biotech variety, as well as 34 percent of US corn acres and 71 percent of upland cotton.

The shift by US farmer preference to biotech varieties has resulted in approximately $460 million in savings from reduced chemical insecticide use in 2001.