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Argentina - Agricultural biotechnology, annual report


Buenos Aires, Argentina
August 19, 2013

USDA/FAS GAIN report

Highlights:

Argentina continues to be the third largest producer of biotech crops after the United States and Brazil, producing 14 percent of the world´s total biotech crops. The revamped regulatory system for agricultural biotechnology launched in 2012 proved to be a successful tool to reduce the approval time for new events. As China is one the most important markets for Argentina, the approval by the Chinese biosafety authority of several genetically engineered (GE) events (including the RR2 Bt soybean) represents a significant milestone for Argentine foreign trade.

Executive Summary

Argentina continues to be the third largest producer of biotech crops after the United States and Brazil, producing 14 percent of the world´s total biotech crops. The country´s area cultivated with biotech varieties in MY2012/13 is 24 million hectares, 400,000 more hectares from the previous year. Almost all soybean area is planted with biotech seed varieties, while 95 percent of corn area and 100 percent of cotton area are biotech varieties.

During the first year of the new regulatory framework for agricultural biotechnology the expected goal of reducing the approval times was accomplished, and proved to be very successful in reducing bureaucracy as well. Several events were approved after its implementation in March 2012.

On June 2013, the Chinese biosafety authority approved several soybeans and corn events including Monsanto’s RR2 Bt (approved in Argentina in August 2012). For Argentina, China’s approval is among the most important news in recent times for foreign trade.

Argentina continues to be an important ally of the United States in international issues involving biotechnology and was co-complainant with the United States in the World Trade Organization challenge to the European Union moratorium on biotech crop applications. While the lack of a royalty collection system is still an important issue, the GOA has placed a priority on stimulating biotech research and innovation. At an international level, corn growers from Argentina, Brazil and the United States signed an agreement and created a partnership called MAIZALL, which represents an effective platform for enhancing industry to industry, government to government and public outreach. MAIZALL is intended to provide a mechanism through which producer organizations can collaborate on a global basis to address key issues concerning biotechnology, food security, stewardship, trade, and producer image.

The Argentine Seed Law allows producers to successively use seeds on their own farms. Farmers cannot sell these seeds. This law is interpreted to mean that farmers only have to pay royalties on the original purchase of biotech seeds, but not when they replant seeds that have been selected and saved. According to official numbers, 20 percent of the total area planted with soybeans in Argentina is sown with seeds purchased from authorized dealers; 30 percent with seeds saved by farmers for their own use, and the remaining 50 percent with seeds selected and sold illegally. GOA officials recently announced that the government will be revising the country’s seed law after the elections next October, although it is not clear what is written in the new draft or when it will be passed and implemented. Intellectual property rights (IPR) continues to be an unresolved issue in Argentina, however in an effort to move forward in finding a mechanism to recognize IPR in order to allow the country to obtain the new soybean varieties, in 2011 Monsanto (supported by the seed industry) developed a private agreement with farmers.

Argentina is active in development of genetically engineered animals for production of pharmaceutical products, but has not approved any genetically modified animals for food consumption. As of cloned animals, there are two companies and one public institution in Argentina able to provide commercial cloning services, mostly for breeding animals. Argentina continues to be very proactive on the issue of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The Government of Argentina is still in the process of determining its own policy on the technology.

Full report



More news from: USDA - FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service)


Website: http://www.fas.usda.gov/

Published: August 21, 2013

 
 

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