Ecologists warn of modified crops

JAKARTA (JP): Environmentalists warned yesterday that Indonesia could soon be the target market for genetically modified crops which they claim have long-term harmful side effects.

Vandana Shiva, an environmental activist from India and Tewolde Egzaiber, the head of the Ethiopian Conservation Garden, said genetically modified food commodities such as soybean could be bound here in increasing numbers as traditional markets such as Europe become more selective of such products.

While long-term studies still prove inconclusive, they strongly suspect that genetically modified crops could be harmful to consumers' health and the environment.

They said that Europe was already debating measures to scrutinize such products by labeling them.

Speaking at a discussion on genetic engineering and biosafety in the Third World here yesterday, they said Indonesia could become a "dumping place" if people in other parts of the world began refusing to consume such commodities.

The demand here could also increase.

Indonesia already imports between 400,000 and 600,000 tons of soybean annually, mostly from the United States.

Indonesia was last year hit by a severe drought which has seen soybean production shrink by 3.82 percent.

Tariffs on items such as soybean have also been reduced to 20 percent and will go down further to 5 percent in 2003.

Vandana, an internationally recognized physicist, said it was now up to consumers to resist genetically modified food commodities in the market since the government could no longer regulate such prohibitions.

But she maintained that the government could help by separating the shipment of genetically modified foods from organically processed food to allow consumers to differentiate between them.

She also called for a campaign to increase public awareness on the possible long-term side effects of such products.

Tewolde, a delegate at biodiversity conventions, said the government could help raise awareness by providing factual information. (09)