At a press briefing at the Royal Sports Club yesterday, both Thai and foreign experts in biotechnology shared the same ideas that to adopt biotech crops will increase the country's economic growth. In addition, this will also reduce environment problems in the long run.

Despite strong controversy, the demand for biotech crops or genetically modified organism (GMO) plants have risen in many countries during the past 10 years.

Dr Clive James, chairman of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), said Thailand should consider allowing the cultivation of GMO crops not only to strengthen economic growth but also solve environment problems.

"Thailand will lose competitive advantage to export rivals who have already adopted GMO plants," James said, adding that world economic powerhouses like China and the US and fast-growing economies like India and the Philippines wre growing engineered crops.

Vietnam is considering introducing biotech crops soon, said James.

So far, 22 countries have adopted biotech technology to increase production. It is expected that the number of nations that will accept more GMOs will increase to 40 in 2015.

Last year, there were 102 million hectares world-wide growing biotech crops and this figure  is forecast to reach 200 million in 2015.

James clarified that biotech crops would not only help improve productivity and income for farmers, but also reduce environmental impact and give more social benefits. According to ISAAA research, biotech crops will jump yields by 50 per cent compared with 5 per cent for general crops. From 1996 to 2005, biotech crops contributed more than US$27 billion (Bt863 billion) to the global economy.

Asked about the side-effects of biotech, James said there should be no disadvantageous impacts after more than 10 years of planting GMO crops in many countries.

He also pointed out that Thailand has imported GMO soybeans and maize for domestic consumption since 1996, without any side-effects until now. 

Moreover, he said Thailand would gain the benefit of becoming an alternative fuel supplier if the country adopts biotech crops, for instance, for cassava plantations.

Thailand has the capability to be the leader in GMO cotton and papaya and to grow both plants commercially. The research has been conducted but the country has yet to transfer the knowledge to farmers.

Dr Sutat Sriwatanapongse, president of the Biotechnology Alliance Association, urged the Thai government to allow field tests in the country. Permission will also allow Thailand to study more about the advantages and disadvantages of biotech crops.

The government should make quick decisions and give farmers the choice of GMO plants, he said. Thai researchers can produce GMO seeds and the country does not need to import them, he said. 

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation