The Ministry of Agriculture is "prudent" about authorising the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO), minister Mihail Dumitru told Mediafax on Tuesday, mentioning that favourable endorsements will be issued only on the basis of "solid scientific evaluations" and by proving sure economic benefits, "The Ministry of Agriculture has a prudent attitude in the decisional process of authorising GMO cultivation. On the basis of a solid and well-founded scientific assessment issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which prove the absence of risk to human and animal health, and to environment and if, following an economic analysis, the existence of an important economic benefit for the Romanian agriculture and economy is demonstrated, the ministry will favourably endorse a file on authorising the cultivation of a GMO. But the decision is established consensually, at Romanian government level. The ministry is only one of the endorsing authorities in such a file ", the minister said.
Referring to the fact that such decisions usually cause "emotions" among the public, Dumitru said that there is no "scientific foundation" to such "concern".
In the particular case of Amflora, genetically modified potato, the Minister said that he was authorised by the "old" European Commission "after much hesitation and delay" and anticipated a low interest from the Romanian farmers to cultivate Amflora, given that the variety is exclusively dedicated to industrial production of starch.
in early March, the European Commission (EC), authorised the cultivation in the European Union of a potato variety and the import of three types of maize, all in the category of genetically modified organisms (GMO), namely and the potato Amflora, developed by German concern BASF and three types of genetically modified maize produced by U.S. group Monsanto.
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