Marketers say commercial interest will be key to determining whether to adopt the genetically modified (GMO) maize seed that is on trial in the country as part of their varieties.
They argue that their key market — the farmers — need to accept it first before they can adopt the technology once the country allows its commercialisation.
“We need to weigh benefits of science against commercial returns. We need to know the cost of production and many other underlying factors,” said George Osure, regional director for Syngenta East Africa.
Seed companies, he said, make profits by selling their commodity in huge markets and that there should be a sizeable number of farmers, not only in Kenya, but also in the entire East African market for them to recoup production costs.
Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) said without awareness, firms faced the risk of suffering huge losses.
“Our big clients are farmers and they need to understand what this technology is, once they embrace it then we shall have no problems in accepting it,” said Betty Kosgey, a STAK official.
She said that seed companies may end up adopting the biotech seed only to be rejected by farmers, a move that will lead to heavy losses.
Seed firms want the statistics on production cost per unit, data on its nutritional value after milling to be made available, saying this move will guide not only the farmers but also the consumers to make decision.
“We have to look at GMOs from the entire value chain. Consumers need to know its nutritional value after milling and they would also want to know its taste and appearance,” said Mr Osure.
Once the ban on GMO is lifted, seed firms will be allowed access the technology, which is owned Bayer.
The Kenya Agriculture Livestock and Research Organisation said the seed will be royalty free, meaning that seed companies will not have to pay a shilling to access the technology.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
