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Opposition Forces Indonesia To Ban Monsanto's GE Cotton

SUNS #4739 Thursday 14 September 2000
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Indonesia: Deal on transgenic cotton seeds delayed

Geneva, 13 Sep (Chakravarthi Raghavan) -- Strong public pressure and
concern over transgenic products have caused a postponement of an
agreement between the government of Indonesia and the American-based
agrochemical and seed company Monsanto on the development of cotton
seeds in South Sulawesi, according to a report in the Jakarta Post.
The report quoted State Minister of Environment, Sonny Keraf, as saying
on Tuesday that his personal disapproval of the project, along with
pressure from non-governmental organizations, resulted in the
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli postponing, at the
last minute, the agreement which was due to be signed Friday.

"At the last second, NGOs and I put pressure on Rizal Ramli to call it
off," Sonny told reporters on Tuesday, according to the Jakarta Post
report.

Sonny explained that health safety of transgenic crops and their effect
on the environment was still a major concern and thus it would be
advisable for agreements on the cultivation of such crops to be
postponed.

"Besides, Indonesia is among the countries that signed the Cartagena
Protocol on biosafety... We have to stick with the precautionary
principles over transgenic matters," Sony said, adding that there are
still no regulations on transgenic products here.

According to Sonny, Rizal initially objected, arguing that the
negotiations were already in the final stages.

"But I told him that it is better to call off the deal than to face
problems in the future," Sonny said.

Transgenic technology creates higher quality crops and stocks by
inserting genes from other species.

These Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or biologically engineered
products have genes inserted to protect the plant from pests or to
resist a specific herbicide.

Despite assurances from scientists that the products are harmless, some
doubts have been raised as to the safety of GMOs and their effect on
health and the environment.

These concerns include how quickly a biotech plants degrade in the soil
and whether the plants can cross-pollinate with weeds or disrupt the
ecosystem.

But Monsanto's subsidiary, PT. Monagro Kimia, have been providing
farmers in Bantaeng and Bulukumba regencies, South Sulawesi, with
transgenic cotton seeds for the past five months.

The transgenic crops are now being harvested after it was planted in a
500-hectare area.

The products are exported and some are distributed in local markets.

In this regard, according to the Jakarta Post report, Sonny referred to
the government regulations No. 51/1994 and No. 27/1999 told reporters
in his office in Jakarta: "This is also against procedure... The
distribution of certain agricultural products has to go through an
Environmental Impact Assessment (Amdal)." Therefore, he added, he will
send a warning letter to Monagro to stop production.

But Monagro's Corporate Communications Manager Tri Soekirman, maintains
that the company had already obtained permission earlier this year from
the research and development department of the then ministry of
forestry and plantation.

As for the suspended agreement, Tri said it was merely a statement of
cooperation which reconfirmed Monsanto's activities in Indonesia,
producing seeds and herbicides.

"So, the delay doesn't really effect us," she told The Jakarta Post
over the telephone, adding that the cotton harvest will now be
exported.

About the Amdal, Tri said that as far as the company is concerned, the
environmental assessment are for plantations above 1,000 hectares.

"We'll still continue with our activities and still follow
procedures," she said.

Earlier, some South Sulawesi farmers who were brought to Jakarta,
claimed that they were very satisfied with the yield of transgenically
modified Bt cotton or Bollgard cotton. "It really benefits us. The yield
is high so we earn more money and are able to repay bank loans
faster," said farmer M. Arsyad.

The cotton was said to have a yield of two to three tons per hectare
compared to local cotton which has a yield of only 401 kilograms per
hectare.

Ironically Indonesia has a great need for cotton. Demand for cotton
seeds reaches 1.5 million tons or an equivalent of 500,000 tons of
cotton fibers annually. Almost all are imported as domestic supply
represents only one percent of the total need.
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south-north development monitor SUNS [Email Edition]
twentieth year 4739 thursday 14 september 2000
publisher: third world network, 228 macalister road, 10400 penang,
malaysia

chief editor: chakravarthi raghavan, rm c504, palais des nations,
ch-1211 geneva 10, switzerland; tel:(4122) 7344274, fax 7401672; email
<suns@igc.apc.org>