BRUSSELS - EU regulators are likely to approve imports of a genetically modified (GM) maize type this month that should help livestock farmers secure extra supply of raw material to feed their animals, officials said on Wednesday.

The maize, known by its codename GA21, is marketed by Swiss agrochemicals company Syngenta and intended for use in food and animal feed, not for growing in Europe’s fields.

The expected EU approval comes after farm ministers fell short of a consensus agreement at a meeting in February to allow imports of five separate GM products, one of which was GA21 maize, paving the way for default approval by legal rubberstamp.

EU law allows for rubberstamp GM authorizations when ministers cannot agree after a certain time. Since 2004, the European Commission, the EU executive, has approved a string of GMs ñ nearly all maize ñ in this way, outraging green groups. "GA21 maize is at its final stage of adoption by the Commission. It is expected to be adopted by the end of March," a Commission official said. No date has yet been set for EU approval of the other GMs discussed at the February meeting.

EU approval of insect-resistant GA21 maize is of particular interest to grain traders in Spain and Portugal, since the modified strain may only now be imported in processed form.

The request for EU approval by Syngenta, one of the world’s largest producers of GMO seeds, would allow GA21 imports as grain. When authorised, those imports are expected to come into EU markets mainly from Argentina, a major GMO crop grower.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel told farm ministers at their meeting that she was surprised at their lack of decision on approving GA21 maize since it would have helped the livestock sector, especially pig farmers, to secure import of feed material at reasonable prices from South America.

Animal feed makers and livestock farmers say they have been unable to pass on soaring costs of grain over the past year to retail consumers. Costs of imported grain, on which Spain and Portugal depend heavily, have also been heightened by freight charges that have risen with oil prices.