64 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM Avis INTERNATIONAL NEWS GLOBAL SEED WATCH CANADIAN WHEAT RESUMES SHIPPING TO JAPAN, WHILE AFRICA’S MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY HAS RECORDED A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN CROP BIOTECHNOLOGY. STATUS BOTSWANA The proposed partial unbundling of Seed Co Limited and the subsequent separate listing of its regional operations on the Botswana Stock Exchange will allow the company to pursue its regional expansion projects as it will be backed by the availa- bility of solid hard currency funding. According to an abridged circular to shareholders, the regional listing will set Seed Co International on a path for expo- nential growth as it will allow the company to attract focused capital to recapitalize the business whenever necessary. “In view of the hard currency funding needs of the group’s regional growth trajec- tory and the need to unlock, preserve and grow shareholder value, the directors are proposing to partially unbundle through a dividend in specie, and separately list on the BSE the group’s regional operations, which are held through Seed Co International.” STATUS CANADA The decision by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture and the already-announced decision by South Korea on June 26 to resume shipments of Canadian wheat reaffirms the excellent quality and con- sistency of Canadian the wheat supply, the federal government says. This marks an end to all interna- tional trade actions arising from Canada’s announcement of an isolated discovery of unauthorized genetically modified wheat in southern Alberta on June 14, 2018. “The Government of Canada wel- comes the decision by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture to lift the temporary sus- pension on imports of Canadian wheat, following its own thorough scientific test- ing of Canadian wheat shipments,” the federal government said in a statement. Based on extensive scientific test- ing at that time, the Canadian govern- ment concluded that this unauthorized wheat is not present in the food or animal feed system, or anywhere other than the isolated site where it was dis- covered. Officials worked quickly and collaboratively with Japanese authorities to provide the necessary information to convince Japan to resume shipments. STATUS NIGERIA Africa’s most populous country has recorded a major breakthrough in crop biotechnology following official approval and registration of two Bt cotton varie- ties, MRC 7377 BGII and MRC 7361 BGII. This development means farmers can now access biotech cotton seeds in addition to other conventional varieties once the permit holder multiplies the registered varieties. Nigeria also becomes the seventh African country after South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia to grant open cultivation approval for the crop. Speaking at the official announce- ment in Ibadan, committee chairman chief Oladosun Awoyemi exuded confi- dence that the approval and registration of the GM cotton varieties will revolu- tionize agricultural development in the country as it leads to adoption of GM technology. Both varieties were devel- oped by Mahyco Nigeria Private Ltd., in collaboration with the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) director general, Rufus Ebegba, hailed the development as a victory for Nigeria and Africa. “African biosafety regulators need courage and knowledge to act in the face of over- whelming scientific evidence, despite threats from those who refused to believe in the efficacy of safe science and technol- ogy,” Ebegba says. Director general of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) Alex Akpa noted the registered varieties are highly viable compared to the local conventional alternative and are capa- ble of producing 4.1 to 4.4 tons per hectare against the local variety’s 600 to 900 kg per hectare. “With this development, Nigeria has demonstrated that it has the institu- tional capacity and human resources to safely deploy genetic engineering in the agricultural sector,” Akpa says. According to Rose Gidado, coun- try coordinator of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB), the official registration opens a new dawn for Nigeria as the country’s cotton production will boomingly increase signaling a return to cotton production. “With the new varieties, farmers will have access to quality seeds subse- quently recording over 50 percent profit. The country’s textile industry will also be revamped,” Gidado says. STATUS PHILIPPINES The Philippine Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry green lights the conduct of public consultations on the pro- posed field trials for GR2E Golden Rice. The public consultation process is a significant component of biosafety regula- tory approval under the Joint Department Circular No. 1 series of 2016. The consulta- tion process comprises public information sheet postings in accessible community locations, a 30-day public comment period and a public hearing. This provides com- munity members with the opportunity to participate responsibly in a critical biosafety decision-making process. Public consultations were held July 18 and July 19 in two different locations. Together w ith Ph i l R ice, the International Rice Research Institute is developing high-yielding inbred local rice varieties with the beta-carotene produc- ing GR2E Golden Rice trait. A complementary, food-based solu- tion to vitamin A deficiency, Golden Rice is undergoing the regulatory pro- cess in Bangladesh. Earlier this year, GR2E Golden Rice, received positive food and safety assessments from three leading regulatory agencies: Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.