Argentine exporters vow safeguards to keep GM wheat out of shipments

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine grains exporters have asked the government to identify farmers who are growing drought-resistant genetically modified (GM) wheat, so they can halt sales from those areas until top importer Brazil approves the technology.

Exporters say if any GM wheat is shipped from Argentina, all international sales of the grain may be shunned due to concern about possible cross-contamination from GM to non-GM cargos, given some consumers' aversion to bread made with GM flour.

Argentine biotech firm Bioceres said in September that 55,000 hectares of its GM drought-resistant HB4 wheat had been planted by farmers in Argentina in what it called "an inventory ramp-up" ahead of "expected pending regulatory approval from Brazil".

It said the GM wheat was being grown by 225 farmers, concentrated in the bread-basket province of Buenos Aires. A company spokesperson reached by Reuters on Monday declined further comment.

The CIARA-CEC chamber of grains export companies operating in Argentina said the information provided was not detailed enough. Its head Gustavo Idigoras said the chamber had asked the National Seed Institute, a government body, last month to help pinpoint farms that are growing GM wheat.

"If we can identify risk areas... we will avoid purchasing there. We will also test wheat coming into port terminals. Any detection of GM wheat will result in it being rejected," Idigoras said. "We are not against biotechnology.