MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expects Congress to approve a ban early subsequent yr on planting genetically modified corn within the nation, she stated on Saturday.
Sheinbaum’s announcement comes a day after a trade-dispute panel dominated Mexico’s restrictions on U.S. exports of GM corn violate the USMCA commerce settlement.
“With the assistance of Mexico’s Congress, we’re going to reverse this decision as a result of very quickly, in February, they’ll legislate, I’m certain, you can’t plant genetically modified corn,” Sheinbaum stated at a public occasion. Mexico’s Congress is dominated by the ruling get together.
“We should shield Mexico’s biodiversity in our nation … with out corn there is no such thing as a nation.”
Such a ban might enhance Mexican provides of non-GM corn however not forestall imports of GM varieties, nevertheless.
A GM crop comprises genetic materials that’s not naturally discovered within the plant, for instance to higher shield in opposition to illness. Farmers have extensively adopted such crops in some nations similar to the USA, however critics say their security for human well being and the atmosphere is unproven.
The deadlock escalated when the U.S. authorities known as on a dispute decision panel to overturn Mexico’s February 2023 presidential decree that banned using GM corn to make tortillas and dough.
The decree additionally advocated for replacements in industrial manufacturing for human consumption and animal feed.
Mexico’s financial system and agriculture ministries stated in a joint assertion that they disagreed with the ruling, however would respect the choice. The companies later stated the panel’s report referred solely to commerce between Mexico and the USA.
Mexico, the birthplace of contemporary corn, bans GM corn for concern it might contaminate native kinds of the grain. But the nation is the most important international purchaser of U.S.-grown yellow corn, nearly all of which is genetically modified.
The Mexican authorities expects native patrons to import a file 22.3 million metric tons throughout the 2023/24 crop season.
(Report by Diego Oré; Writing by Alexander Villegas; Modifying by Rod )
