Russia is firm: no
genetically modified organisms in food production.
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Email.
'GMO products cause cancer and obesity' -
food safety expert
Photo:
RIA Novosti
Russia is firm: no genetically modified
organisms in food production, the head of Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture
Nikolay Fyodorov stated at the All-Russian Meeting of Agrarians. GMO-foods
controversies between scientists, ecologists and producers have a long history.
Russia, which is now going organic, has faced these problems just recently.
The battle is being waged by two camps: while scientists
lack arguments and evidence that GMO is harmful, huge and powerful production
corporation have resources and political links. Scientists say they will need
another couple of decades for a comprehensive research, but some threats are
obvious already now, says Biology Professor and international expert on eco and
food safety Dr. Irina Ermakova:
"These organisms are all dangerous because the very
technology of their production is far from being perfect – it features
pathogenic bacteria and viruses. When scientists tested the aftermath of
GMO-produce on animals, they were horrified with the results – cancer and
obesity. So the best things would be to ban such foods at all, as European
countries do".
Today Russia is one of the largest global manufacturers
of GMO-free grain. This agricultural year, its grain exports can account for 20
million tons. Environmentally friendly production can become Russia’s
qualitative advantage in the world market. However, the share of such
production is still insignificant, experts say, so it’s rather about the
country’s agricultural potential. It can be used at full capacity after changes
in the legislation, believes the editor-in-chief of the Agrarian Review
magazine Konstantin Lysenko:
"We have no legislation which defines organic
production. And potentially Russia can flood the planet with such foods, as
GMO-farming is banned in the country. But the reality is that, practically, all
soy cultivated in the world is genetically modified as well as some 20% of corn
".
Meanwhile the Russian government suggested to manage the
use of GMOs cultures. Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered to probe
if Russia has any such crops and compile a database of all imports. Then a legislative
decision will follow.
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