Philippines decides to open commercial cultivation of genetically modified cotton

According to the “Business Mirror” and the website of the Philippine Ministry of Agriculture on June 12, after more than ten years of debate, the Philippine government decided to open up the commercial cultivation of genetically modified cotton. In September this year, a sales license for genetically modified cotton seeds will be issued. Next year Official sales begin. The first batch of seeds came from 40-hectare experimental bases in Luzon and Mindanao, and future commercial planting will also be concentrated in the above two places. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture said that the Philippine government has invested funds to conduct controlled experiments, multi-site experiments and risk assessments on genetically modified cotton; the government will also carry out follow-up activities to publicize the pros and cons of this type of cotton. In the next few years, the Philippine Ministry of Agriculture plans to plant 2.2 hectares of genetically modified cotton, with an estimated total output of 66,000 tons. This also means that the Philippines can reduce lint imports by 40,000 tons. In 2014, the Philippines produced 66,000 tons of fiber, a year-on-year increase of 18%. Manila hemp exports were US$110 million, accounting for 87% of the world’s total supply, and other fiber exports were US$123 million. Philippines decides to open commercial cultivation of genetically modified cotton