Farmers face tough choices on gene-altered crops
COMTEX Newswire
Freitag, 31. Dezember 1999 21:54:00
SYDNEY, Jan. 1 (Kyodo) -- By: Jackie Woods Disease-resistant wheat,
seedless oranges, vitamin-boosted rice and potatoes that do not go
brown are just some of a raft of gene-altered crops currently being
field-tested by scientists hoping to boost the yield and quality of
Australia's agricultural produce.
But farmers are divided over the benefits of embracing gene technology,
with some in the industry warning the move could have catastrophic
effects on the country's exports as public opinion in key markets,
including Japan, turns against genetically modified (GM) food.
Currently, insect-resistant cotton is the only GM crop approved for
widespread commercial cultivation in Australia.
Dozens of other crops have been tested, and the government's Genetic
Manipulation Advisory Committee is expecting an application for the
general release of modified canola in early 2000, said Andina
Farragher, a secretary of the committee.
The federal government has expressed broad support for the research and
development of gene technology.
According to Agriculture Minister Warren Truss, while the government is
concerned about the level of public opposition to GM food, embracing
the technology will have enormous benefits for Australia's agricultural
sector.
"There is a terrific potential for Australian farmers in environmental
terms and productivity levels," a spokesman for Truss said.
"Our concern is Australia could be left behind (in the gene technology
race) and other countries produce higher yields or better products."
But Douglas Shears, chairman of ICM Agribusiness, Australia's largest
group of agricultural companies, says Australia's 22 billion Australian
dollar agricultural sector risks jeopardizing its "clean, natural"
image overseas if it goes down the GM path.
"Here we are in the situation where Japan and Europe are telling us
they don't want (modified products) in the food chain. We should be
listening to them. The advent of genetically engineered farming has the
potential of wiping out an economic advantage," he said.
Shears has called on the government to impose a moratorium on the use
of GM crops until their effects are fully examined.
"I don't know what the long-term effects of this technology will be on
our agriculture, on our farms, on our ecosystems. Nor does it seem
anyone else," he said.
Scott Kinnear, a spokesman for the Organic Federation of Australia,
which represents 2,000 organic farmers, predicts a catastrophic outcome
for Australia's agricultural sector if GM crops are widely cultivated.
"It's a very, very hot subject. It's fraught with risk," he said.
"There is a risk that contamination will be discovered in genetically
modified crops and Australia's reputation will be damaged. The whole
thing will crash, because consumers will reject it."
Not only will GM crops be hard to sell, said Kinnear, but farmers face
other dangers, including falling land values as traces of GM crops can
not be removed from land and have the potential to contaminate vast
areas.
"We find it difficult to understand why the government doesn't realize
this. They have the attitude that we just have to educate consumers,
but the more consumers are educated the more they are opposed (to GM
crops)," he said.
Stephen Prowse, executive officer of the industry body Agrifood
Alliance Australia (AAA), said there was a very high level of debate
among farmers over the benefits of GM crops, and it was difficult to
ascertain to what extent farmers would embrace the technology.
"There's no doubt farmers are very concerned," he said.
"About 80% of our produce is exported, so they are very concerned that
if they grow (modified crops) it will limit the number of markets they
can export to."
An AAA survey released in December showed 55% of Australian farmers
thought the benefits of producing GM food partially outweighed the
risks, 12% thought the benefits definitely outweighed the risks, and
32% thought the risks outweighed the benefits.
One of the major risks identified by farmers was market acceptance of
GM food.
Prowse said speculation that Australian GM crops would be rejected by
Japanese consumers was misleading, as Japan was already the largest
importer of genetically modified canola.
"Japan has been cited (as a major source of opposition to GM food),
again that's not correct. Japan is maneuvering to leverage the best
prices. They will use GM and non-GM to obtain the best possible
price," he said.
But Setsuko Yasudo, director of the Japanese Consumer Union, has warned
Australian farmers the consumer backlash against GM food in Japan will
continue to grow.
In November, she attended a seminar in Melbourne that examined the
issues faced by Australian farmers in moving to GM farming.
"My very clear message for Australian farmers is do not produce
genetically modified foods," she told her audience. "You simply will
not sell it in Japan."
-0-
Copyright 2000