Brazil’s agriculture minister [asked] Chinese officials on [May 16] to greenlight exports to the Asian nation of sugar made from genetically modified (GM) sugarcane, which is expected to be widely used in Brazil in coming years.
Minister Tereza Cristina Dias told Reuters in Beijing on [May 15] …. that she would raise the GMO issue during a visit to China’s General Administration of Customs …. Brazilian officials will make the case that the sugar has no traces of modified genes after the GM cane is processed, similar to soy oil made from GM soybeans.
“We export sugar and will export sugar made from GMO cane. The sugar itself is not genetically modified, so we’re going to explain …. why sugar should not be considered …. a GM product,” Dias told Reuters …. Brazil’s CTC (Cane Technology Center) developed the GM cane variety that is resistant to the cane borer, which could reduce pesticide costs.
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