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Today, 10 February 2010

Yesterday, 09 February 2010

› Strike three, Mr President

› Cooked head discovered

› Zuma apology 'unwelcome'

› 'Illegal' traps blasted

› Madiba to grace Parliament

An application by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) for a genetically modified tuber moth resistant potato was not rejected on safety grounds as claimed, AfricaBio said on Tuesday.

Executive director of AfricaBio, Jocelyn Webster, said the application was refused on a few socio-economic and technical issues.

AfricaBio is a non-profit biotechnology organisation, aimed at promoting "safe, ethical and responsible research, development and application of biotechnology and its products", its website said.

The Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act became law in December 1999, and created an executive council, a registrar and an advisory committee.

Webster's reaction followed anti-GMO activists claiming that the executive council of the GMO Act rejected the application on safety grounds.

Webster said most of the socio-economic and technical issues on which the application was rejected, could be addressed by providing additional information.

She said GM crops such as maize, cotton and soybeans have been grown and consumed by South Africans for the past 11 years without any adverse effects to humans, animals or the environment.

"Why not GM potatoes", Webster said in a statement.

She said the most devastating insect pests of potatoes in South Africa were the tuber moth and potato leaf miner.

"Tuber moth damage alone amounts to an estimated R40 million annually with spraying costs of R10 million also killing non-target insects and polluting the environment," she said.

Webster said the improved potato was developed and tested with public funding for the benefit of all farmers.

"By denying the application at this stage, the South African regulators have effectively decided on behalf of farmers and circumvented the farmers' access to an evaluation of the improved potato."

Webster said GM potatoes would lead to significant cost savings for farmers and, to a large extent, eliminate insecticide spraying.

The outcome of the application's rejection and the slow and very complicated process to get GM products registered could cost South Africa GM projects in future.

Webster said South Africa was likely to lose the advantage of carrying out projects that involve the application for permits under the GMO Act.

Sapa