Argentina, a step closer to being the first country to approve a GMO wheat

By Estudio Chaloupka

Argentina is on its way to approving the release of the first transgenic wheat in the world, a drought resistant crop named HB4 discovered by Raquel Chan, a researcher from the Universidad del Litoral and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), a government agency which directs and coordinates most of the scientific and technical research done in universities and institutes. 

The genetically modified organism (GMO) wheat has been developed and patented by Bioceres, an Argentina-based company engaged in the agricultural biotechnology sector, which looks to commercialize it after several months of debate within the industry and high officials of the government.

The Secretary of Agribusiness, along with producers and exporters associations, refuse to approve the release in fear of losing strategic markets, as many countries reject transgenic products and no country has yet approved a GMO wheat. On the other hand, the Ministry of Production and the Secretary of Science and Technology have urged the neccesity of commercializing the GMO, trusting its success in the market due to the increased production and competitiveness its drought-tolerance will allow.

In search of a solution, on February President Mauricio Macri intervened and called its ministers and other authorities to find a common position. Macri held a meeting at Casa Rosada, its executive office, and gave officials 60 days to work on a consensus. Such consensus seems to be already underway, as officials have designed a road map with the aim of releasing the GMO in the foreseable future.