Skip to content

Argentina approves GMO wheat variety for production

It is the first drought tolerant GMO wheat ever approved
flag of argentina getty images
(Getty Images)

Argentina has approved a genetically modified wheat variety for the South American country’s farmers.

The ministry of agriculture approved HB4 wheat, a drought tolerant variety, making this the first drought tolerant GMO wheat ever approved.

The drought tolerant wheat was developed by Argentine crop inputs manufacturer Bioceres in a joint venture with subsidiary Trigall Genetics.    

Over 10 years the variety yielded 20 per cent more than other wheat varieties during drought years.

Whether the variety gets commercial development depends on approval by Brazil, which imports 85 per cent of the Argentine wheat crop.       

A drought tolerant HB4 soybean variety has been approved in Argentina, Brazil and the United States.

Bioceres is proceeding to register the drought tolerant wheat in the United States, Australia, Russia and other Latin American and African countries.

Canada has not been included in the process. Canadian grain authorities in the past have opposed GMO wheat in this country based on non-GMO desires of major grain importers from Japan to Europe.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks