Growing GM Corn is the Farmers' Option, Vietnamese Prof Says

The Government has approved the mass farming of genetically modified (GM) corn, but it is farmers who should decide whether to plant such corn or not, concludes a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) last week.

Speaking at the seminar held by the Peace and Development Foundation of HCMC and Tri Viet Center for Social and Educational Research, Associate Professor Ngo Thi Xuyen said Vietnam had grown borer-resistant corn varieties, but only localities attacked by borers should grow GM corn to protect their crop from the insect. "I personally think that farmers themselves should choose corn varieties as this directly affects their incomes," said Xuyen, who worked with foreign scientists to create a genetically modified tomato variety.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has recognized the testing results of five genetically modified corn varieties, namely BT11, GA21, MON98034, NK603, and TC1507, before presenting them to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for issuing biosafety certificates. Corn varieties of Dekalb and Syngenta have been approved for mass cultivation in Vietnam since March 18, 2015.

The agriculture minister advocates GM corn production to cut down on corn imports. Vietnam imported 3.75 million tons of corn worth US$856 million in January-July, up nearly 42% in volume and 25% in value against last year's same period. Corn was mainly imported from Latin American countries such as Brazil (52.5%) and Argentina (41.4%), the two countries currently planting GM corn. Experts at the seminar called for Vietnam to acquire technology of creating GM corn varieties to avoid heavy reliance on foreign suppliers.

For more details, read the original article in Vietnam Net Bridge.