Government seen to OK Monsanto bid for comm’l Bt corn production

The application of Monsanto Philippines Inc.’s (MP) for the commercial production of bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn is likely to be approved before the end of the year.

Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Blo Umpar Adiong said MPI’s application is now being reviewed by three government agencies and an independent private-sector led scientific and technical review panel (STRP) which is now evaluating the results of the field testing done by MPI in several parts of the country.

Adiong added that the STRP is a totally independent body which is not influenced by any political group.

"The STRP decision is critical, its composition is not even known to us because we wanted the panel’s decision to be free of any political considerations," said Adiong.

The other government agencies also evaluating results of its field-testing of MPI’s Bt corn are the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries, Products Standards and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

Aside from these agencies, Adiong said the Department of Agriculture also created a core group that will look into the evaluation and recommendation of these agencies.

Still, it will be the BPI which will have a final say on whether MPI will be allowed to start commercial production of Bt corn.

"Once BPI gets the recommendation and endorsement of the DA core group, we have to come out with a decision in 30 days, and we expect all that to be done before the end of the year," said Adiong.

MPI applied for the commercialization of Bt corn with the BPI last Sept. 15. Earlier, it applied with the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines to conduct multi-locational testing in several sites in the country.

MPI wants to begin commercial production of Bt corn, which has a protein gene that its resistant to the pest Asian corn borer which can affect up to 80 percent of corn plantations if infestation sets in.

Bt corn yields are also higher. Compared to the average traditional corn production of less than three metric tons per hectare, Bt corn yields can go up to nine metric tons per hectare and this was shown in the field-testings.

Another firm, Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines Inc. has also applied for commercialization of Bt corn. The company is set to harvest Bt corn this month in seven test sites nationwide. – Rocel Felix