Deal on transgenic cotton seeds delayed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Strong public pressure and concern over
\ntransgenic products have caused a postponement of an agreement
\nbetween the government and American-based agrochemical and seed
\ncompany Monsanto on the development of cotton seeds in South
\nSulawesi.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf on Tuesday admitted
\nthat his personal disapproval, along with pressure from
\nnongovenrmental organizations, resulted in Coordinating Minister
\nfor the Economy Rizal Ramli postponing, at the last minute, the
\nagreement which was due to be signed Friday.<\/p>\n
\"At the last second NGOs and I put pressure on Rizal Ramli to
\ncall it off,\" Sonny told reporters here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He explained that health safety of transgenic crops and their
\neffect on the environment was still a major concern and thus it
\nwould be advisable for agreements on the cultivation of such
\ncrops to be postponed.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, Indonesia is among the countries that signed the
\nCartagena Protocol on biosafety...We have to stick with the
\nprecautionary principles over transgenic matters,\" Sony said,
\nadding that there are still no regulations on transgenic products
\nhere.<\/p>\n
According to Sonny, Rizal initially objected, arguing that the
\nnegotiations were already in the final stages.<\/p>\n
\"But I told him that it is better to call off the deal than to
\nface problems in the future,\" Sonny said.<\/p>\n
Transgenic technology creates higher quality crops and stocks
\nby inserting genes from other species.<\/p>\n
These Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or biologically
\nengineered products have genes inserted to protect the plant from
\npests or to resist a specific herbicide.<\/p>\n
Despite assurances from scientists that the products are
\nharmless, some doubts have been raised as to the safety of GMOs
\nand their effect on health and the environment.<\/p>\n
These concerns include how quickly a biotech plants degrade in
\nthe soil and whether the plants can cross-pollinate with weeds or
\ndisrupt the ecosystem.<\/p>\n
But Monsanto's subsidiary, PT. Monagro Kimia, have been
\nproviding farmers in Bantaeng and Bulukumba regencies, South
\nSulawesi, with transgenic cotton seeds for the past five months.<\/p>\n
The transgenic crops are now being harvested after it was
\nplanted in a 500-hectare area.<\/p>\n
The products are exported and some are distributed in local
\nmarkets.<\/p>\n
\"This is also against procedure...The distribution of certain
\nagricultural products has to go through an Environmental Impact
\nAssessment (Amdal),\" Sonny told reporters later in his office,
\nreferring to Government regulation No. 51\/1994 and No. 27\/1999.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he added, he will send a warning letter to Monagro
\nto stop production.<\/p>\n
But Monagro's Corporate Communications Manager Tri Soekirman,
\nmaintains that the company had already obtained permission
\nearlier this year from the research and development department of
\nthen ministry of forestry and plantation.<\/p>\n
As for the suspended agreement, Tri said it was merely a
\nstatement of cooperation which reconfirmed Monsanto's activities
\nin Indonesia, producing seeds and herbicides.<\/p>\n
\"So, the delay doesn't really effect us,\" she told The Jakarta
\nPost over the telephone, adding that the cotton harvest will now
\nbe exported.<\/p>\n
About the Amdal, Tri said that as far as the company is
\nconcerned, the environmental assessment are for plantations above
\n1,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
\"We'll still continue with our activities and still follow
\nprocedures,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, some South Sulawesi farmers who were brought to
\nJakarta, claimed that they were very satisfied with the yield of
\ntransgenically modified Bt cotton or Bollgard cotton.<\/p>\n
\"It really benefits us. The yield is high so we earn more
\nmoney and are able to repay bank loans faster,\" said farmer M.
\nArsyad.<\/p>\n
The cotton was said to have a yield of two to three tons per
\nhectare compared to local cotton which has a yield of only 401
\nkilograms per hectare.<\/p>\n
Ironically Indonesia has a great need for cotton. Demand for
\ncotton seeds reaches 1.5 million tons or an equivalent of 500,000
\ntons of cotton fibers annually<\/p>\n
Almost all are imported as domestic supply represents only one
\npercent of the total need. (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/deal-on-transgenic-cotton-seeds-delayed-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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