FIDA to give green light to Bt cotton rollout in the Philippines

The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority is likely to approve the commercialisation of Bt cotton, a genetically modified (GM) cotton variety, in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Executive director Dr Clarito Barron said that under the new joint department circular (JDC) there are already revised guidelines for the impact assessment of every GM crop on the environment.

Barron said Bt cotton will have to pass an environmental risk assessment, which is an additional requirement in the new JDC for GM crops.

If Bt cotton gets approval for commercialisation in the last quarter of this year, an initial planting of 50 hectares is likely to start in 2017. However, the target of planting 20,000 hectares of land with Bt cotton by 2020 could be delayed by a year.

For the full story, see the July 2016 edition of Textiles South East Asia. Not a subscriber? Sign up HERE