LONDON — Rising food prices due partly to soaring demand in
China are increasing pressure on Europe to boost harvests and could help turn
the tide in favor of genetically modified crops despite widespread public
opposition.
Opponents have cited concerns that GMO crops could have a
negative environmental impact and could even pose a risk to human health.
European Union governments have been unable to reach a consensus to speed up
authorisations.
GMO crops met a hostile response when first touted in Europe
a decade ago after they were dubbed "Frankenstein foods" and it has proved hard
for proponents to overcome consumers concerns.
But pressure is growing for acceptance of GMO technology.
"We have to face up to the issue of genetic modification and
rise to the challenge of helping to foster a fair and scientific debate on an
issue that has typically been clouded by suspicion and a lack of trust," Iain
Ferguson, chief executive of Tate & Lyle Plc said on Tuesday.
Ferguson, who is also president of Britain’s Food and Drink
Federation, told the National Farmers Union annual conference it was
increasingly difficult for food companies to be able to make products without
genetically modified ingredients.
"I think we sit at a moment of history when GM technology
because it has accepted by a large number of crop producing countries which
export, that a lot of the international trade is now of GM-derived products and
that is a fact of life.
"For those people who are trying to source non-GM through
identity preservation in whatever form they are doing it, that is become a
tougher and tougher thing to do and it is becoming more expensive," he said.
There has been significant opposition among consumers in
Britain and several other European countries to genetically modified crops and
few are grown in the European Union, in contrast to the United States, Brazil,
Argentina and China.
Demand for food is rising sharply in China, India and several
other countries and is expected to continue to increase, boosted by both
economic expansion and population growth.
Climate change is also forecast to reduce agricultural
production in many areas over the next few years.
"I think the debate about higher prices and being able to
meet the demand of people in the world for food is a perfect opportunity to make
the case (for GMO crops)," Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau
Federation said.
"We may have a window of opportunity here and I would
encourage you to exploit that," he told the NFU conference.
Britain’s chief scientist said GMO crops should not be
shunned as agriculture seeks to respond to rising food demand.
"It seems to me to be insanity to throw away potential
solutions of scientific problems and to practical problems that the (farming)
industry have," the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, John Beddington,
said.
Beddington, however, said it was vital to assess any
potential harm the crops could do to the environment although he downplayed
concern they might damage human health.
Farmers in Britain have been reluctant to support GMO crops
openly until they are widely accepted by consumers.
NFU president Peter Kendall, however, told the conference
that food production needed to double and possibly treble over the next 40 years
and "developing the agricultural potential of this country to its fullest is
actually a moral issue".
"It is acutely painful to me to see how we have allowed our
science base to run down. Part of the problem is the aversion to new technology
and risk that has been fostered by a section of our society," he said.
"The NFU has called for a new and intelligent debate about
new technology. We must start that debate now."
Livestock farmers at the conference expressed frustration
they were unable to import cheaper GMO feed under EU rules at a time when feed
costs are soaring.
Kendall argued that British government papers have said that Britain as a
rich country does not face a food security threat and it could trade its way our
of trouble.
