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Published on September 20, 2007

"I want GM experiments to move ahead so that farmers can boost productivity while saving costs," said Niwat Pakwises, whose papaya orchard on more than 100 rai of land in Samut Sakhon has been struck by the ring spot virus.

"I have already invested more than Bt500,000 in my farm, so I want to get good, quality yields. I'm looking for a strain that is resistant to the disease," he told the seminar hosted by the Biotechnology Alliance Association and Kasetsart University.

Sutat Sriwatanapongse, the association's president, said that according to recent research, GM papayas that were resistant to the virus were not only safe to eat but also environmentally friendly.

Citing findings from a recent survey, Sutat said that after farmers were educated about GM technology, 91 per cent said they would grow GM crops if the technology won government approval.

"Up to 71 per cent of farmers believe GMO crops are safe for consumption and up to 89 per cent believe GM technology has done more good than harm," he said.

The association would propose that the government allow GM field tests at the Agriculture Ministry's experimental farm in Khon Kaen and at Kasetsart's Kamphaengsaen campus.

Saijai Puttawan, a farmer who visited the Philippines under the 2007 Regional Farmers Exchange Programme, said he learned a lot about biotechnology there and found that biotechnology was very useful.

"Other Asian countries have seriously promoted biotechnology," he said.

Agriculture Minister Thira Sutabutra said other ministries had agreed to seek Cabinet approval for GM field testing. He had already talked to the Science and Natural Resource ministries.

He insisted that if the Cabinet gave the green light, authorities would put in place measures to keep the genetically-modified papayas strictly within the experimental farms.

"Neither seeds nor pollen will sneak out of the test fields," he said.

A main objective of the GM testing was to help farmers who had been suffering from the spread of papaya-ring spot virus for years, he added.

Mayuree  Sukyingcharoenwong

 The Nation