Transgenic products tests needed: NGOs
Transgenic products tests needed: NGOs
JAKARTA (JP): Non-governmental organizations demanded on
Thursday that the government impose a five-year moratorium on
tests of transgenic products and immediately formulate bills on
the products.
Council board member of the National Consortium for Nature and
Forest Conservation (Konphalindo), Hira Jhamtani, told reporters
that the moratorium on any field tests was needed to prevent
illegal trade of transgenic products.
"Some parties have misused the test for commercial purposes,"
Hira said on the sidelines of a transgenic seminar at Ambhara
Hotel in South Jakarta.
She was referring to a test by agrochemical firm PT. Monagro
Kimia to plant transgenic Bt Cotton.
PT. Monagro is a subsidiary of the world's second largest seed
producing company and third largest agrochemical company,
American-based Monsanto. It has developed genetically engineered
products like soybean which resist specific herbicide.
Despite the controversy over the products, Monsanto's
subsidiary PT. Monagro Kimia has tried to plant transgenic cotton
over the last five months in Bantaeng and Bulukumba regencies,
South Sulawesi.
The company has harvested the crops which had been planted in
an area of 500 hectares. Some of the products have been exported,
while others were distributed in local markets.
Hira, however, condemned the move saying that the distribution
of the products, which are on trial, was illegal.
"If it's just for a trial, the harvest should have just been
burned, but not sold," Hira said.
But, the South Sulawesi administration and local farmers
insisted on planting such crops, and alluded to a plan to expand
the area into some 25,000 hectares.
The cotton apparently has higher productivity with yields of
two to three tons per hectare whereas local cotton only yields
401 kilograms per hectare.
Transgenic technology is a method to create higher quality
crops and livestock by inserting genes from other species.
These products are considered Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMOs) or biologically engineered products in which genes are
inserted to protect the plant from pests or to resist a specific
herbicide.
Despite assurances from scientists that the products are safe,
some doubt the safety of genetically modified foods.
"We, do not reject such products. But, we believe in the
principle of precaution as the safety of this technology is still
unclear," said Hira, adding that a moratorium had also been
suggested in other countries.
Executive Director of the Indonesian Center for Environmental
Law (ICEL) Mas Achmad Santosa said the moratorium was needed as
legal protection is not yet available.
"The existing regulation, the 1999 joint ministerial decree is
not sufficient," he said, while referring to the decree on food
and natural product safety, including the issue of GMO products,
issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Forestry,
the Ministry of Food and Horticulture and the Ministry of Health.
"It's not comprehensive at all. It doesn't include labeling,
or environmental impact assessment (Amdal) procedures, to name
some of the issues," he said, adding that Amdal can be a legal
instrument. (hdn)