Exports face price wars as Europe approves GMOs

“We shall, however, stay focused on proceedings in the EU market in terms of GMO even though we don’t see an immediate threat.”

Kenya is yet to embrace the GMO concept even though an Act guiding the legal and legislative framework on modern biotechnology is already in place.

The Biosafety Act 2009 was approved by President Kibaki in February last year with the National Biosafety Committee being put in place as an interim measure until the law is implemented.

The National Biosafety Committee executes its activities under the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST).

Former Agriculture minister William Ruto supported the GMO technology.

“We are now forced to pay a premium for normal maize because close to 90 per cent of the global grain market is now comprised of GMOs,” he said late last year.

He said the government pays an average $300 per tonne for normal maize compared to $200 per tonne paid for GMO stocks.

Currently there is one GM maize variety — MON 810 — that is commercially cultivated in the EU with its genetic modification aimed at protecting the crop against a harmful pest, the European corn borer. It was authorised in 1998.

Besides MON 810, a GMO starch potato known as “Amflora” was authorised for cultivation and industrial processing in March.

The starch is intended for industrial use such as production of paper.