Counterfeit GMO Bt corn seeds could jeopardize Philippines’ crop

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) has warned that the proliferation of counterfeit Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn seeds in the local market could cut the country’s yellow corn production.

Worse, the ISAAA said, the uncontrolled and unregulated spread of fake genetically modified (GM) corn seeds would “jeopardize the longevity and efficiency” of the technology, resulting in lower income for Filipino farmers.

“The large decline of biotech maize area in the Philippines due to counterfeit seeds needs immediate attention because, if not attended to, this will jeopardize the longevity and efficiency of the technology that will weigh heavily on farmer profitability and economic benefits,” the ISAAA said in its annual report on the Global Status of Commercialized Biotech released on June 26.

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Seed industry stakeholders estimate that about 10 percent of the Bt corn seeds sold in the domestic market are counterfeit.

Counterfeit Bt corn seeds are seeds that contain traits belonging to registered and regulated multinational firms but are produced and sold by unauthorized people.

Read full, original article: Fake Bt corn seeds to cut production, ISAAA warns