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Environment minister: Production of transgenic food in Peru should be controlled

Peru's environment minister, Antonio Brack said Wednesday that the production of transgenic food in Peru should be controlled with the aim of preserving native species such as the Giant White Corn from Cusco, a product having high demand in international markets.

"We have a great concern in Peru over the corn. We have fifty-five types of corn, including the purple and giant white corn from Urubamba (Cusco), which enjoys considerable success in foreign markets. Transgenics may contaminate our biodiversity", Brack said.

Brack added that the long-term impact of transgenic seeds on Peruvian soil should be studied and although transgenic crops are not banned, they must be regulated as soon as possible.

"This regulation is a matter of discussion at present. Should we use transgenic crops or continue producing organic foods while protecting our rich natural resources”, he wondered.

Transgenic products are those resulting from crops that have been genetically modified.

News source: ANDINA

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# rice and sugar says :
15 August, 2008 [ 11:06 ]

Oh my goodness! Our beautiful corns from Peru, are now threatened by the transgenic corn! Why on Earth would Peruvians consume the transgenic????
I agree with the minister, Peruvain corn is successful in foreign markets. I have bought Peruvian corn in Canada, and it sells! Huge grains, beautiful corn! I grew up eating this corn...Oh my God!...the biodiversity in Peru is our pride...Why on Earth would we grow and consume transgenic corn in Peru...I agree the most beautiful corn I ever ate was in Cusco...Mmmm! Humitas de mais en Cusco!
Since I am not in botanics or agriculture, I don't understand this...Is the transgenic cheaper at all?
My grandmother used to grow corn in her backyard so easily! The transgenic cannot be any easier!
HOW???

# Mike says :
15 August, 2008 [ 12:29 ]

Transgenic crops are typically used to combat disease and pest issues (allowing for a greater harvest per acre).  They could contain the genes of unrelated plants, or even animals.

Genes in crops are also manipulated to enhance a particular characteristic or to make that characteristic last longer after harvest (as per sweet corn in North America).

# rice and sugar says :
15 August, 2008 [ 13:20 ]

I am actually quite familiar with transforming (genetically) bacteria with eukariotic genes. (I can make E. coli glow with Jelly fish genes!) Yeah, I have fun...
My question here is why are Peruvians use the transgenic corn, in Peruvian land. Is it because the native corn is not surviving pests? Is it because the transgenic corn grows faster and is cheaper to deal with?
For centuries, Peruvians have been successful with growing native corn. Sure, there are pests (insects, mold, bacteria, etc.), but we have alwyas been able since Incan times to overcome those pests.
OR is it that there are new pests nowdays?? Perhaps an invasive species??
I am not an ecologists and have no expertise in agriculture, this is why I ask. The Minister, Antonio Brack is the Expert in this. And he wants to control the transgenic corn, he is afraid that they will threaten the native corn species in Peru.
In Mexico, this has been a problem. The transgenic corn has the ability to displace and succeed over the native corn in Mexico.
We don't want this to happen in PERU!
Perhaps the potatoe museum could educate Peruvians about transgenic crops as well.

# edson eae says :
15 August, 2008 [ 14:03 ]

"Perhaps the potatoe museum could educate Peruvians about transgenic crops as well"

Well said Rice and Sugar, I also hope it helps us to conserve our natural resources and protect our environment::.

# Mike says :
15 August, 2008 [ 14:08 ]

The reason to use transgenic corn in Peru would be to export a particular type of corn to a market with demand for that corn.  There's also cross-over cultural issues: perhaps some enterprising farmers want to introduce sweet corn to Peruvians.

Believe it or not, and I know this is heresy, but a group of Peruvians here in the US told me at a BBQ this past weekend that they really loved - and preferred - the sweet corn in the US.  I was pretty surprised to hear that!

# Anonymous Dave says :
15 August, 2008 [ 14:44 ]

Progress people. Progress. Nuke the whales!

# rice and sugar says :
15 August, 2008 [ 14:56 ]

The issue that the Minister mentioned was the loss of biodiversity. I  like both the taste of the transgenic corn, and I also like the Peruvian corn.
The issue here is that planting transgenic corn in Peru, unless it is controled, may endanger native corn species, resulting in a loss of biodiversity. Loss of biodiversity is not a good thing for the ecosystem.

I am not a tree-hugger, but you lose a few species and introduce an invasive species, you are dealing with an unknown, uncertain future for the environment.

Peru in the past had the highest biodiversity of birds (more than 6000 bird species). This I was told by an American ornitologist. Because, Peruvians we deforested our forests, we have lost many of those species! The same will go for the corn.

I am not opposing to transgenic corn in Peru, but I agree with the Minister that it should be CONTROLED. Obviously, if the minister is worried about the issue, then he must have considered which options are best for Peru's agriculture.

The MInister of the Environment in Peru has good credentials. This is the biography I found in Wikipedia.

Antonio José Brack Egg (Villa Rica, Pasco, Peru June 3, 1940), is an agronomist engineer, an ecologist, and researcher. He is currently the Peruvian Minister of the Environment. He is a national and international authority on issues pertaining to biological diversity and biocommercial development.

# rice and sugar says :
15 August, 2008 [ 15:09 ]

Check this 2005 article on Peruvian biodiveristy and Antonio Brack

University professor Antonio Brack Egg, former U.N. development advisor and one of the leading ecological researchers in Peru, said that because of the ''inherent genetic resources existing in Peru, biodiversity should be its source of strategic revenue in the 21st century.''

In his opinion, because of its extraordinary variety of ecosystems, plants and animals, Peru is one of the top five ''mega-diverse'' countries in the world, and its territory includes part of the Amazon forest, which serves as a regulator of the Earth's climate.

Peru is also one of the world's leaders in plants with beneficial properties that are known and used by the population (4,500 species), the first in acclimated native species (182), and is considered one of the biggest ''warehouses'' of known genetic resources.

# mericorps says :
15 August, 2008 [ 15:15 ]

For years groups like Pulbic Citizen have been documenting the health threats of such mutations. www.citizen.org.

I am glad to hear the Minister call for regulation, but I would prefer an outright ban.

# Splaktar says :
15 August, 2008 [ 18:01 ]

I agree that control is needed, but the Peruvian gov't can barely control the most serious things in Peru.  There is no way that this would be enforceable in reality.

Outside of that, I agree with controlling this carefully, but I don't agree with banning it outright.

# Mike says :
15 August, 2008 [ 18:06 ]

Yeah, I completely against banning genetic manipulation.  At the same, I do believe in preserving as many of the "heritage" varieties as possible.

# David says :
17 August, 2008 [ 15:28 ]

The case for growing more product per acre with this stuff is hog wash. In the US a group of people known as "The Amish" grow more crops per acre then anywhere else in the country. They do not use harmful chemicals and pesticides. In many cases they don't even use modern machinery.

I understand the thinking behind the idea but the governments and industries of the world cannot be trusted to leave well enough alone. One advancement leads to another and before you know it we will be cloning every living and non-living thing on the planet.

So for that reason alone I have to say a firm no to the idea. people cannot be trusted to place firm limits on things if they feel a profit can be made from it.

# rice and sugar says :
18 August, 2008 [ 13:02 ]

On a second thought, maybe we should just bun genetically modified corn in Peru.
Let's continue what our ancestors have successfully done for centuries: let's continue growing, and let's start marketing our Peruvian native corn species!

# rice and sugar says :
18 August, 2008 [ 13:04 ]

Correction, I meant to say let's BAN genetically modified corn. (Typo: I wrote "bun" instead of ban...)