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 mentioned 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 will legislate, I’m certain, which you can’t plant genetically modified corn,” Sheinbaum mentioned at a public occasion. Mexico’s Congress is dominated by the ruling get together.
“We should defend Mexico’s biodiversity in our nation … with out corn there isn’t any nation.”
Such a ban could enhance Mexican provides of non-GM corn however not forestall imports of GM varieties, nonetheless.
A GM crop comprises genetic materials that isn’t naturally discovered within the plant, for instance to raised defend in opposition to illness. Farmers have broadly adopted such crops in some international locations corresponding to the USA, however critics say their security for human well being and the setting 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 economic system and agriculture ministries mentioned in a joint assertion that they disagreed with the ruling, however would respect the choice. The businesses later mentioned the panel’s report referred completely to commerce between Mexico and the USA.
Mexico, the birthplace of recent corn, bans GM corn for concern it might contaminate native forms of the grain. But the nation is the biggest international purchaser of U.S.-grown yellow corn, nearly all of which is genetically modified.
The Mexican authorities expects native consumers to import a document 22.3 million metric tons through the 2023/24 crop season.
(Report by Diego Oré; Writing by Alexander Villegas; Modifying by Rod )
