Speaking in the International Congress on New Approaches of Applied Biology, held at the venue of Khwarizmi University in Karaj, he said, “unfortunately, Islamic Republic of Iran has not any share of transgenic production.”
He put the sales rate of transgenic seed in the world at about $17 billion.
There is a growing trend of using transgenic products in the world, he said, adding, “European, Asian, North and South American countries cultivate these species of products and consume them.”
Biodiversity can be increased using genetically modified products, so that varieties can also be produced in this way, he maintained.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he pointed to reducing consumption of pesticides as salient advantage of transgenic products and said, “low tillage and positive effect on reducing greenhouse gases are of the other salient advantages of transgenic products.”
Presently, 80 and 77 percent of cotton and soybean in the world are cultivated in transgenic form respectively.
According to statistics, 700 million tons of carbon dioxide is produced in Iran, he said, adding, “under such circumstances, effective steps should be taken in the country, otherwise, Iran has to pay huge fine for the growing production of carbon dioxide.”
Chairman of Iranian Biosafety Association Behzad Qarehyazi pointed to US and Europe as the largest producer and consumer of transgenic products in the world respectively.
MA/IRN82967763