Global
BRAZIL SUPPORTS ROYALTIES ON SOYABEAN
Brazil, the world's second largest grower of soyabean
after the United States, might have to shell out more than imagined.
The Brazilian government has asked its farmers to pay seed manufacturers,
especially Monsanto, for using their genetically modified soyabean
seed. Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture said that the payment of royalties
for the use of technology is 'an undeniable right' and should be adhered
to. Monsanto has been trying to collect royalties on the seed, most
of which is sold through the black markets of Argentina. The company
has also signed an agreement with soya producers in south Brazil under
which farmers who use modified soya to withstand the Roundup herbicide
will pay one per cent of the sales earned on the crop being harvested
and two per cent of the sales of the fall crop..
EUROPE
UPHOLDS MONSANTO'S PATENT ON ROUNDUP READY SEEDS
Leading seed manufacturer, Monsanto has acquired
the right to patent its genetically modified seeds in Europe. According
to the European Patent Office, Monsanto's European patent on Roundup
Ready seeds including corn, wheat, rice, soyabean and flax is to be
maintained in a limited form and that it doesn’t the European
patent law. St. Louisbased Monsanto develops insect and herbicideresistant
crops as well as other agricultural products. The patent originally
granted in June 1996 was amended in 2000. NGO Greenpeace and Switzerland's
Syngenta had also appealed for the patent in the year 2001.
FARMERS CONDEMN BUSH’S
SUBSIDY CUT
The recent proposal of the
Bush government to limit crop subsidies has created anguish among
small farmers in the country. Though, the government's idea behind
this proposal is to stop big corporate farming companies from eating
up most of the government's payments, these farmers say they would
be the most hurt in this process. As part of his budget for the next
Financial year, Bush had proposed dropping payment ceilings from $360,000
to $250,000 and had also called for an across-theboard cut of five
per cent for all farm payments. This move, if implemented is likely
to affect the Southerners more, as their crops of rice and cotton
cost more to grow and get higher subsidies. Also, growers of other
commodities such as wheat, corn and soyabean claim that they are not
in a position to withstand cuts of any kind, now that prices for many
of their crops are falling.
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