Hanoi, Vietnam
September 5, 2014
USDA/FAS GAIN report VM 4047
Highlights:
On August 11, 2014, following a near six month regulatory review, the Vietnam Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed the first four Certificates for Food and Feed Safety for four genetically modified corn traits. Additionally, on August 27, 2014, following just over a year review; the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) issued the first Biosafety Certificate to one of the four corn traits approved by MARD on August 11. The trait approved by MONRE will be able to be commercially grown in Vietnam, following variety registration.
Summary:
On August 11, 2014, following a near six month regulatory review by Vietnam’s Feed and Food Safety Committee, the Vietnam Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed the first four Certificates for Food and Feed Safety for four genetically modified corn traits. Among those four GM corn traits, one is glyphosate tolerant and the remaining three are insect resistant (two traits are Lepidoteran-protected and one trait is Asian corn borer resistant). The application dossiers for feed / food safety for these traits were submitted to MARD’s Department of Science, Technology, and the Environment in March 2014. An additional two traits are currently under review at MARD for feed / food use approval, including one soybean trait.
Additionally, on August 27, 2014, following just over a year review by Vietnam’s Biosafety Committee; the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) issued the first Biosafety Certificate to one of the corn traits previously approved by MARD for food and feed use. The trait, MON89034 is an insect resistant trait. This trait will be able to be commercially grown in Vietnam following variety registration (the introgressed, traited-hybrid variety) which will take one season to complete. An additional three traits are currently under review at MONRE.
All of the GM corn traits, approved or currently under review by the Government of Vietnam, went through confined and multi-location field trials conducted by MARD during 2010-2012 (see VM4042). The commercialization of agricultural biotechnology in Vietnam has been a goal of the Vietnamese Government for the past many years and is an integral part of the Government’s agricultural restructuring program, efforts to increase utilization of high technologies in agriculture, and its bid to lessen the country’s dependence on corn imports.
Topics
Species
