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India’s fiber market is dominated by cotton, however, increased international demand for sustainable fibers is driving apparel and textile manufacturers to utilize hemp.

The biotechnology regulatory system in Ukraine is still not fully developed, but the country is gradually adjusting its domestic policies to align with European Union regulations.

Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies remain unchanged. Over the past year, there has been no progress in the approval of its draft Biosafety Act, which establishes a system to protect biodiversity, the environment and human, plant and animal health while minimizing the risks of biotechnology.

Kazakhstan has not announced any changes to its biotechnology policies. Major challenges like climate change, variable weather, monocropping wheat, and the reliance on Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member biotechnology regulations could be a future catalyst for Kazakhstan to develop its own biotechnology law.

In 2024, the Pakistan government issued revised Biosafety Rules and Regulations, creating a system to request genetically engineered (GE) commodity imports for food, feed, and processing (FFP). As of mid-October 2024, importers had submitted several applications to import GE soybeans for FFP.

Over the past two decades, India’s political landscape continues to hinder the developments in agriculture biotechnology. Bt cotton (Bacillus thuringiensis) approved in 2002 remains the sole biotech-derived crop approved for commercial cultivation.

Ukraine established a simplified procedure for temporary registration of genetically engineered cotton varieties only.

India remains undecided on genetically engineered (GE) crops and products derived from biotechnology (biotech) for food and feed use.

On December 7, 2023, the Veterinary Service at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic informed the U.S. Department of Agriculture in writing that they will no longer accept the U.S. Department of Agriculture's, Food Safety Inspection Service, 9060-5 Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness. USDA is actively working to resolve this issue.

Bangladesh is pursuing advanced biotechnological crop research. In June 2023, the Bangladesh Academy of Science submitted a “Standard Operating Procedures for Research and Release of Genome Edited Plants of Categories SDN-1 and SDN-2 in Bangladesh”...

The biotechnology regulatory system in Ukraine is still not fully developed, but the country is gradually adjusting its domestic policies to align with the European Union’s regulations. Currently no genetically engineered (GE) events are officially...

Sri Lanka does not produce genetically engineered (GE) crops or animals. There is some GE research at the laboratory level, but there is no commercialization. The lack of a legal framework and biosafety procedures are a major setback; the country...