Transgenic products tests needed: NGOs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Non-governmental organizations demanded on
\nThursday that the government impose a five-year moratorium on
\ntests of transgenic products and immediately formulate bills on
\nthe products.<\/p>\n
Council board member of the National Consortium for Nature and
\nForest Conservation (Konphalindo), Hira Jhamtani, told reporters
\nthat the moratorium on any field tests was needed to prevent
\nillegal trade of transgenic products.<\/p>\n
\"Some parties have misused the test for commercial purposes,\"
\nHira said on the sidelines of a transgenic seminar at Ambhara
\nHotel in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
She was referring to a test by agrochemical firm PT. Monagro
\nKimia to plant transgenic Bt Cotton.<\/p>\n
PT. Monagro is a subsidiary of the world's second largest seed
\nproducing company and third largest agrochemical company,
\nAmerican-based Monsanto. It has developed genetically engineered
\nproducts like soybean which resist specific herbicide.<\/p>\n
Despite the controversy over the products, Monsanto's
\nsubsidiary PT. Monagro Kimia has tried to plant transgenic cotton
\nover the last five months in Bantaeng and Bulukumba regencies,
\nSouth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The company has harvested the crops which had been planted in
\nan area of 500 hectares. Some of the products have been exported,
\nwhile others were distributed in local markets.<\/p>\n
Hira, however, condemned the move saying that the distribution
\nof the products, which are on trial, was illegal.<\/p>\n
\"If it's just for a trial, the harvest should have just been
\nburned, but not sold,\" Hira said.<\/p>\n
But, the South Sulawesi administration and local farmers
\ninsisted on planting such crops, and alluded to a plan to expand
\nthe area into some 25,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
The cotton apparently has higher productivity with yields of
\ntwo to three tons per hectare whereas local cotton only yields
\n401 kilograms per hectare.<\/p>\n
Transgenic technology is a method to create higher quality
\ncrops and livestock by inserting genes from other species.<\/p>\n
These products are considered Genetically Modified Organisms
\n(GMOs) or biologically engineered products in which genes are
\ninserted to protect the plant from pests or to resist a specific
\nherbicide.<\/p>\n
Despite assurances from scientists that the products are safe,
\nsome doubt the safety of genetically modified foods.<\/p>\n
\"We, do not reject such products. But, we believe in the
\nprinciple of precaution as the safety of this technology is still
\nunclear,\" said Hira, adding that a moratorium had also been
\nsuggested in other countries.<\/p>\n
Executive Director of the Indonesian Center for Environmental
\nLaw (ICEL) Mas Achmad Santosa said the moratorium was needed as
\nlegal protection is not yet available.<\/p>\n
\"The existing regulation, the 1999 joint ministerial decree is
\nnot sufficient,\" he said, while referring to the decree on food
\nand natural product safety, including the issue of GMO products,
\nissued by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Forestry,
\nthe Ministry of Food and Horticulture and the Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n
\"It's not comprehensive at all. It doesn't include labeling,
\nor environmental impact assessment (Amdal) procedures, to name
\nsome of the issues,\" he said, adding that Amdal can be a legal
\ninstrument. (hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/transgenic-products-tests-needed-ngos-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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