Groups sustain opposition to local propagation of golden rice variety

MORE farmers groups on Thursday expressed opposition to the commercialization of the golden rice variety, arguing that the genetically modified organism (GMO) has some “serious” biosafety issues.

“Rice Watch Action Network, Inc. [R1], along with farmers groups denounce the approval of the commercial propagation permit of Vitamin A-infused rice, better known as Golden Rice, and raise serious concerns on its biosafety issues,” R1 said in a news statement.

R1 board member Neth Daño claimed that there is lack of transparency regarding risk assessment results of golden rice.

“Department of Agriculture-philippine Rice Research Institute [Da-philrice] claims that it has undergone satisfactory biosafety assessment but has not made the results public,” Daño said.

Daño argued that the government did not present to the public any of the reviews, results and assessments on the impact of golden rice on health, cultivation, environment and socioeconomic well-being.