Egypt Bans Genetically Modified Food - Can it be Done?

[Guest guest]

http://www.treehugger.com2009/08/egypt-bans-genetically-modified-food.php

 

Egypt Bans Genetically Modified Food - Can it be Done?

by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 08.12.09

 

In a surprising move, Egypt just announced that it won't be importing or

exporting any genetically modified foods. Period. Plenty of traders both

inside and outside the country were stunned, seeing as how Egypt's main

agricultural imports currently include many GMOs. Can the nation

realistically succeed in cutting out genetically modified foods on such

a

large scale?

 

According to Reuters,

Any agricultural imports to Egypt must have a certificate from the

country

of origin that the product is not genetically modified and the rule will

also apply to Egyptian exports, the official news agency said on

Wednesday.

Evidently, debates over food quality have erupted in Egypt after an

import

of Russian wheat was rejected by officials. Shortly after, the ban on

genetically modified foods reportedly emerged. But what are the

ramifications of such a ban--and is it even possible to completely cut

GMOs

out of a country's food imports? They are after all incredibly

pervasive--take the example of soy oil.

 

From Reuters:

" A non-GMO policy would not cause difficulties for sunflower oil but it

would for soyoil, " one European trader said. " It would mean that soyoil

imports would only be possible from Brazil and not from the U.S. or

Argentina, " he said. The three countries are the world's largest soyoil

exporters.

 

Okay, so two out of your three options are out. So it looks like an easy

choice--you simply import your soy oil from Brazil. Except that

regulating

such a no-GMOs-allowed policy would be tough to regulate:

 

The trader added it would be " immensely difficult to give a guarantee

that

Brazilian soyoil is GMO free as Brazil also has large GMO production and

it

is certainly possible that GMO soybeans could be mixed with non-GMO

beans. "

 

While certain imports would certainly impose some difficulties, others

would

be easier--wheat that's not genetically modified, for example, is

readily

available and easily imported. And I think the question isn't whether

Egypt

can truly succeed in eliminating GMOs from its food supply entirely and

immediately, but the impact the decision has on the countries it trades

with--will say, a company making soy oil in the US attempt to create a

GMO-free product to meet the market need? Or will companies deem Egypt's

soyoil market not worth the hassle? And perhaps, most importantly, what

effect will Egypt's GMO ban have on other nations growing increasingly

concerned with food quality?