|
|
|
|
|
|
Seeds: January 2003
In
an attempt to remain completely biotech-free, Italy has imposed a 0.01 percent
threshold for adventitious presence in conventional corn and soybean seeds. This
represents a tightening from similar regulations established this time last
year, and the technical difficulties involved mean that U.S. exporters probably
won’t take the risk. Since no
biotech varieties are approved for marketing in Italy, there could be criminal
penalties for seed lots that fail the tests.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture is actively helping farmers find
sources of non-biotech seeds.
Italy is among the worlds five
largest importers of corn seed, importing over $45 million or 60,000 tons in
marketing year (MY) 2001/02. The
$17 million in corn seed imported from the United States last MY made Italy the
fourth largest market for U.S. corn seed exports, and made corn seed the most
important U.S. seed exported to Italy. France,
the world’s largest corn seed exporter, has long dominated Italian corn seed
imports by volume and more recently by value as well.
Interestingly, French corn seed is much cheaper:
Last MY, Italy’s corn seed imports from France had an average CIF value
of roughly $500/ton, versus $2,000/ton from the United States.
However, France may not be a
reliable long-term source of non-biotech corn seed. Three reports issued to the French government since
late November recommended that the French government invest more in
biotechnology, conclude that expected benefits outweigh potential risks, and
stated that France was willing to lift the moratorium and let citizens decide
the fate of biotechnology through labeling and traceability. If France goes biotech, as seems increasingly likely, then
Italy will have difficulty sourcing corn seed imports.
Perhaps Italy hopes the measure
will stimulate domestic corn seed production.
While exports from France and the U.S. account for more than half of
world trade in corn seed, Italy is nonetheless among the top 15 corn seed
exporters. Over the past three
marketing years, Italian corn seed exports have increased in both volume and
value.