Philippines approves commercial use of genetically engineered rice

[Mike J]

It will interesting to see how well this is received first by growers and then by consumers.  Given that many Filipinos are resistant to change it may get off to a very slow start.  I expect the majority of crop, at least initially, will be exported.

The International Rice Research Institute says the Philippines is the first nation to approve the Vitamin A-enriched Golden Rice for planting

The Philippines said on Wednesday, August 25, it has approved the commercial propagation of genetically modified Golden Rice after more than a decade of field tests that drew strong opposition from anti-GMO activists.

The Southeast Asian country, which is one of the world's biggest rice importers, is the first nation to approve the Vitamin A-enriched grain for planting, according to the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), which helped develop Golden Rice.

Formal biosafety approval was issued last month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agency, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said in a statement.

The Philippines had been expected to approve the widespread planting of Golden Rice as early as 2011, but faced public concerns over health risks and opposition from various sectors, led by environmental groups.

Greenpeace has denounced the approval and called on the agriculture department to reverse the decision.

"The DA needs to ensure that farmers are central in a green and just recovery from the pandemic, and are supported by resilient food and farm systems in the face of the climate emergency," said Wilhelmina Pelegrina, senior campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, in a statement in July.

PhilRice Executive Director John de Leon, however, allayed health risk concerns.

"We have generated extensive data on the safety [of Golden Rice] in terms of national and international safety standards," he said.

IRRI Director General Jean Balié said the milestone "puts the Philippines at the global forefront in leveraging agriculture research to address the issues of malnutrition and related health impacts in a safe and sustainable way."

Golden Rice has received food safety approvals from regulators in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States, and is currently undergoing final regulatory review in Bangladesh, according to IRRI.

[scott h]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

It will interesting to see how well this is received

First thoughts (with out any supporting evidence at all) some groups will decry it as being anti poor and an attempt to drive small farmers out of business. I am guessing that this new seed will be more expensive an might require some special fertilizer which will only be cost effective to large corporates farms. 

[graham59]

Hopefully it will be as safe and effective as the many 'skin-whitening' products permitted to be on the market.  

Another area wherein the Phils is at the 'global forefront' ? 

[Old55]

If it's disease resistant easy to grow and high yield it could be beneficial? 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Old55

[GeoffH]

It's been used in Australia for a while and Australia has a pretty strict regulatory framework so I wouldn't be too concerned about it being safe to consume.

But a lot of GMO grains come with restrictive purchase agreements; eg you can't hold back a portion of the grain for next years seed crop or if you do you have to pay a license fee... that sort of thing.

I'm not familiar with the exact rules around this grain, and they're probably not the same in the Phils as they are in Aussie even if I were but my gut feeling is similar to Scott_h, I'm thinking it will be harder for small farmers and easier for large ones to access and grow it.

[Guest]

My only concern would be the amount of Vitamin A per serving. They way the kids who do our yardwork for us eat rice (mounds of it at each sitting), I'd worry about overdose.

[Mike J]

2 hours ago, JDDavao said:

My only concern would be the amount of Vitamin A per serving. They way the kids who do our yardwork for us eat rice (mounds of it at each sitting), I'd worry about overdose.

That was something I did not even consider.  Wikipedia says a one bowl serving provides 60% recommended daily dose, so even three bowls a day would probably be okay.  But if it costs more I expect it would be mixed with white or brown rice.  And of course that assumes the average Filipino would buy and eat it.

>snip>

Vitamin A deficiency is usually coupled to an unbalanced diet. Since carotenes are hydrophobic, sufficient fat must be present in the diet for golden rice (or most other vitamin A supplements) to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. Moreover, this claim referred to an early cultivar of Golden Rice; one bowl of the latest version provides 60% of RDA for healthy children.[27] The RDA levels advocated in developed countries are far in excess of the amounts needed to prevent blindness.[28]

<end snip>

[jimeve]

Nothing against genetically modified food. I love leg of a Salmon.