Biodiversidade Biotecnologias Biossegurança

Este Blog foi originalmente criado para os eventos da COP-8 e MOP-3 realizados em março de 2005/Curitiba. Devido à importância de tais temas para a humanidade, a Revista Consciência.net continuará repassando informações relacionadas, incluindo comentários e matérias pertinentes. Boa leitura! Editores responsáveis: Clarissa Taguchi, Paula Batista e Gustavo Barreto. Da revista Consciência.Net - www.consciencia.net

domingo, fevereiro 18, 2007

Mexico's tortilla crisis and GM corn

1.Maseca, Minsa Accused of Using GM Corn
2.Mexican Govt Ignores Corn Culture
3.Mexico's tortilla crisis: harvest of NAFTA

(13/2/2007)
GM WATCH comment: The price of corn in Mexico has risen to its highest point in 10 years, reportedly due to a growing demand for the grain from the United States to produce ethanol. The crisis brought on by the massive price hike - from 8 pesos (US$0.73) in December to 14 pesos ($1.20) per kilogram in mid-January - is now being exploited by the GM lobby to push for the introduction of GM corn in Mexico via claims that GM is a panacea for increased corn production.

The three articles below explore diverse aspects of the current crisis, but there is another point to be made - USDA data does not support the claim that GM corn increases production. In fact, it shows that GM crops far from increasing yield potential may even reduce yields. It also shows that GM corn's had a negative economic impact on farms.
http://www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/usdagmeconomics.htm

In short, we're talking about expensive seeds promoted via marketing hyperbole rather than agronomic delivery. Is that what Mexico needs?
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