Biotech Updates

GAIN Reports: Jordan and Pakistan

September 3, 2010

Jordan's status on Biotechnology: GE Plants and Animals has been released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. The report notes that Jordan has recently introduced new regulations on biosafety of biotechnology products, but it still lacks the technical ability to enforce laws on biotechnology. Download the report at http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Biotechnology%20-%20GE%20Plants%20and%20Animals_Amman_Jordan_6-24-2010.pdf

Pakistan's status on Biotechnology: GE Plants and Animals is also available at http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Biotechnology%20-%20GE%20Plants%20and%20Animals_Islamabad_Pakistan_8-2-2010.pdf The report says that although Pakistan formally approved eight Bt cotton varieties for general cultivation in 2010, has a biotech framework and necessary legislation in place, the government's capacity to evaluate and monitor new biotech crops is weak. Nevertheless, MOUs between public and private sector institutes with U.S and Chinese biotech seed companies have been signed.