More non-GM canola plantings in Canada won't cause ...
COMTEX Newswire
Dienstag, 21. Dezember 1999 23:21:00
Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Dec. 21, 1999 (Resource News International via
COMTEX) -- WINNIPEG, MB, December 21, 1999 (RESNEWS) - Western
Canadian canola producers may move to planting a greater amount of
traditional variety canola in the spring of 2000, based on fears of
more restrictions against biotechnology foods, industry analysts say.
They added, however, that the shift will not be significant enough to
cause a shortage in seeds.
Bruce Harrison, product manager for canola with Proven Seed, a
business unit of United Grain Growers Ltd. (UGG), said early
indications suggest sales of genetically modified canola seed are
behind levels seen over the last couple of years.
Proven Seed is the exclusive distributor of Pioneer Grain brand of
canola varieties in Western Canada.
This drop largely reflects confusion among farmers about available
markets for GMOs, and current poor prices for canola.
"There's probably lots of questions from farmers as to how much
canola they're going to plant, and how that commodity stacks up against
their other options," Harrison said. "It's not as clear as it has been
in the past."
He added that orders for GM products Proven Seed sells are "far
slower" compared with both conventional products and the division's
smart herbicide tolerant products.
While the latter often gets confused with GM products, Harrison
pointed out that they were bred using traditional methods rather than
genetic insertions, unlike Liberty and Round-up Ready products.
Harrison added that Proven Seed has tried to assure farmers that
there will be no problems marketing GM products, but he added that if a
producer remains concerned, he should consider a grain contract at the
same time as a seed purchase.
"The very rapid adoption of biotech products is probably going to
slow down this year," Harrison conceded.
He added, however, that Proven Seed will be able to meet demand if
there is a switch back to conventional varieties of canola seed.
Art Funk, president of Rolla Agricultural Services in British
Columbia, noted that if there were a dramatic shift over to
conventional canola, "we might find a little shortage there, but on the
whole, there won't be a (significant) shortage of canola seed."
He added the percentage of acres devoted to biotech canola will not
fall year-over year.
David Sippell, managing director of Canterra Seeds, said that the
controversy surrounding biotechnology will result in farmers managing
their risks by spreading their variety choices across both GMOs and
non-GMOs.
"The result may be that there will be a few more acres of the non-
GMO varieties out there."
Nevertheless, Sippell did not expect any shortages of traditional
varieties.
"We are anticipating very active sales in the non-GMO type products."
Canterra is not currently selling herbicide tolerant varieties and is
not expecting that to change, he indicated. Canterra, which is a
relatively new seed company, has never sold biotech canola seed.
Ward Toma, general manager of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission
said the main issue in the minds of farmers when they make their
seeding intentions will be price. While there may be less canola
planted this spring, he added there will not necessarily be a change to
non-biotech canola seed. He noted that poor prices for other
commodities could see canola acreage remain high next spring. Canadian
producers planted nearly 14 million acres of canola in the spring of
1999.
"There may not be much of an option for producers--they have to grow
canola one way or another," Toma said.
-0-
Copyright 1998 Resource News International
Copyright 2000