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Monsanto gets Mexico's nod for GM maize pilot project

https://www.chemnet.com   Mar 11,2011 commodityonline
After long debates and discussions, Mexico on Wednesday approved Monsanto's first pilot project to grow genetically-modified (GM) maize in the country.

In a statement issued here, Mexico's Agriculture ministry said it had approved the project to grow GM yellow corn developed by Monsanto on one hectare of land in the northern Tamaulipas state.

Mexico has granted 67 permits for projects to grow genetically modified corn at the experimental stage, prior to the pilot stage, on more than 70 hectares of land in the north of the country since 2009.

Greenpeace and other environmental groups have protested such projects, saying they open the door to the widespread planting of crops that could contaminate or drive out local varieties of corn.

Mexico is the number one producer of white maize, which is used to make its famous flat tortillas, but it imports increasing amounts of yellow maize from the United States, mainly for cattle feed.

GM crops, also including soya and cotton, are highly controversial, with critics underlining potential risks to health and the environment.

Monsanto began the first phase about two years ago in small, controlled experiments in Mexico. Last fall, it requested permission to start working on the second requirement.

Concerns about the potential contamination of native corn species in Mexico, the birthplace of the grain, have made government officials cautious about giving the private companies the green light.

An 11-year ban on genetically modified corn was lifted in 2005 as the government sought to reduce Mexico's dependence on corn imports from the U.S.

Mexico still prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified corn in designated centers of origin and diversity, such as the southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, where native strains predominate.

Many farmers are afraid their native varieties, which are culturally significant and used for human consumption, would be contaminated by the altered crop and cause health problems.

Others worry of potential costs if they're eventually required to prove that their native corn is not contaminated.

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