SRI LANKA: Importers Unhappy with Ban on GE Food

By Feizal Samath Reprint | | Print |

Feizal Samath

COLOMBO, Apr 20 2001 (IPS) - Public health and green groups in Sri Lanka are overjoyed by the government’s decision to ban all types of ‘genetically-engineered’ (GE) foods, starting May.

Environmentalists here say that Sri Lanka is the first Asian country to do so and one of the few in the world. Many nations require labelling of GE food to inform consumers.

“This is a wonderful decision and we are completely backing the government on this. This is a decision beyond all expectations,” said Hemantha Vithanage, executive director of the Environmental Foundation Ltd.

The Health Ministry announced mid-April that it was banning the import of all GE foods. The ministry has notified a list of 21 items, which cannot be imported, unless certified not to be genetically engineered.

These include a range of soya foods like soya milk, soya bean, soy sauce and soya nuggets or textured vegetable proteins, which has fast become a meat substitute for health conscious consumers.

Tomato sauce, tomato paste and tomato-based products are also included.

Importers of the list of restricted items have been asked to furnish GE-free certificates provided by authorities in the country of origin.

However, importers say they are confused. “There is going to be a lot of confusion over the ban,” said S. Balachandran, council member of the National Chamber of Commerce.

“We repeatedly told the government not to rush into this legislation but it has been done,” he added.

According to Balachandran there was no clear evidence to show that GE foods were injurious to health.

“We asked the government to show us proof but there was no response. We also suggested that the government first implement the process of labelling of food items to allow consumers to make a choice but that was also not done,” he said.

Like many other countries, Sri Lanka has been caught up in a debate in recent years, over the safety of GE foods.

The government began thinking of a ban last year. “Yes, in fact we placed an advertisement in the newspapers informing the trade of a possible ban on genetically engineered food imports,” said S. Nagiah, chief food inspector of the Health Ministry.

Nagiah agreed that there would be initial problems in implementing the ban but added that the industry had been given a year to prepare for it. “So they should not be complaining about it,” he said.

“When a worldwide controversy erupted last year over the safety of GE foods, we thought it was in the best interests of our consumers that we impose a ban till the controversy is sorted out and the picture is clearer,” he explained.

Sri Lanka decided on a ban instead of using GE-free food labelling because it is a major food importer.

“For instance, India or Britain doesn’t import as much food as we do. We need to take more precautions than the West and we have a responsibility to the consumer,” the health ministry’s food chief noted.

The decision to ban GE foods was taken after several months of discussion, debate and deliberation, he added.

“There may be little or no evidence to show the impact of GE foods on humans, but genetic engineering is a dangerous thing. If we allow a GE seed to invade our local species it could be disastrous,” he said.

Sri Lanka imports the bulk of its food needs. Wheat and sugar comes from the United States and European nations. Much of the country’s soya products come from neighbouring India.

Studies have shown that genetic technology is used in the production of 65 percent of soya and 35 percent of the corn in the United States.

Last year, more than 50 U.S. consumer, environmental, scientific, farm and health groups, filed a legal petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) demanding strict safety testing regulations for GE foods.

The coalition said it was concerned that GE foods were being sold or commercially developed without pre-market safety testing or labelling.

Foods made with genetic technology are also said to be ingredients in processed foods. These are present in a number of mass-consumed food products ranging from soy-based baby foods to popular brands of corn chips.

Presently, U.S. markets are said to be selling GE potatoes, tomatoes, soy, corn, squash and other fruits and vegetables.

Critics in that country say these foods incorporate genes from different species, viruses and bacteria and pose potential new health risks — creation of new allergens, increased toxicity and altered nutritional levels.

“Labelling and testing are vital given the potential health risks that are associated with GE foods. The most pressing health concern involves the impact of inserting genes into fruits, vegetables and other food products,” says Martha Herbert, pediatric neurologist and vice- president of the US Council for Responsible Genetics.

“With each gene insertion there is the possibility that a non- toxic element in the food could become toxic and create a human health hazard,” she was quoted as saying in a U.S. report.

Sri Lankan environmentalist Vithanage, though backing the ban, thinks that the government should also have encouraged food labelling to help create awareness among consumers.

“Not many people are aware of GE and its impact. Consumers need to be informed through proper labelling of food that the food they consume is not harmful to health,” he said.