In a recent press conference held September 27, 2010 in Ortigas City, National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) President Dr. Emil Q. Javier pointed out that the promising Bt eggplant technology could benefit both farmers and consumers once deployed in the market. According to Dr. Javier, there are two sides to the benefit of the Bt eggplant: one is the benefit to the producer, and the other is the benefit to the consumer. Farmers would have more marketable yield and lesser costs, while consumers would have lesser chances of harmful chemical residues in their eggplants, and, probably at cheaper prices due to the producers’ higher marketable yield.

Bt eggplant is a biotech eggplant produced through genetic engineering and has an inherent resistance to the number one eggplant pest, eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB). This genetically modified crop, developed by public research institution, the University of the Philippine Los Banos- Institute of Plant Breeding, is currently being assessed for safety and performance under the multi-location trial prior to commercial release.

“I hope the decision making process really takes on the scientific issues and separates them from the economic and political issues…We’ll be very disappointed that after all these pronouncements of policies on safe and responsible use of biotechnology is overruled by other considerations. But we hope that our government will be more enlightened than that, and proceed on the basis of what the tests are showing,” he said on the commercialization of the Bt eggplant.

Dr. Javier explained that the multi-location trials are important steps in the research and development phase of the project and these trials are being conducted to know the performance of the technology under different ecological and growing conditions.

“I don’t know how long it will take these multi-location trials yet, but we hope that when all the numbers are in, there’s sufficient basis to make a decision,” he said.

Dr. Javier also raised the costs, and probable loss, from the delay of commercializing the fruit and shoot borer resistant Bt eggplant.

He asked the media to consider looking at the risks and costs of the adoption and non-adoption of Bt eggplant. “What are the risks? The farmers losing their crops because their eggplants are non-marketable, [and] we, as consumers, eating eggplants laced with pesticides.” He also proposed comparing the Bt eggplant with the current technology, which is spraying of pesticides, or dipping the eggplant in the chemicals every other day.

Although recognizing other considerations for the approval, Dr. Cesar Quicoy of the College of Economics and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños, said that if the decisions on the commercialization of the Bt eggplant were based on economics, then it would have been approved. “From the economic point of view, it should be a go,” he said.

Based on the economic impact studies, cultivating Bt eggplant could raise farmers’ income by about P50,000.00 per hectare as production cost is cut by 16% due to savings in pesticide and labor costs. Consumers would also enjoy cheaper and safer eggplants free from insecticide residues. (Sophia Mercado)

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Jenny A. Panopio
Special Project Coordinator & Network Administrator
Biotechnology Information Center
SEAMEO SEARCA
College, Laguna 4031
Email: jap at agri.searca.org
Tel: (63-49)536-2290 loc 169 or 406
Tele/Fax: (63-49)536-4105
URL: www.bic.searca.org