Rebuttal

"Seed Association of Pakistan condemns the malicious and baseless accusations by Dr Muhammad Arshad, Chief Executive Officer and Director at Hi-Tech Group, during interview carried by Business Recorder to malign the local seed industry of Pakistan for his and his companies own vested interests. Perhaps it also reflects his inadequate knowledge that Pakistan is a Non-GMO food crop country.
"Members of Seed Association of Pakistan produce nearly 95% of the wheat and cotton seed in Pakistan and the production of local Hybrid Maize has been increasing exponentially. There has also been a continuous growth in the area, production and yield of Maize. The local seed companies now produce 39% of the total maize seed requirement of the country and this set to double over the next 5 years. This increase in local production also reflects the acceptability of the farmers thereby endorsing the quality of seed at affordable prices. There is no existential threat to Maize either in yield or pest that merits the introduction of a controversial technology like GMO in food crops particularly highly cross pollinated crop like Maize in Pakistan. This growth has helped to reduce the import bill of the country and provided economic opportunities in the country. Through supply of quality seed at competitive pricing the local seed companies have also helped farmers afford certified seed and protected them against the exploitation from the multinationals every increasing rates of imported seed.
"It is also pertinent to note that the proponents of GMO often cite misleading claims about great yield advantages. Take Maize for example, the yield of Pakistan and Philippines both stood at 2 MT/Ha in 2003 when GMO Maize was introduced in the Philippines, however after 15 years the yield of Non-GMO Maize in Pakistan is approximately 5 MT/Ha whereas Philippines has struggled to increase it beyond 3 MT/Ha average. It is also pertinent to note that after the introduction of GMO Maize in Philippines their local indigenous Maize varieties were all contaminated.
"It is a similar story in USA, the highest non-GMO Maize yield recorded in US was 9MT/Ha in 1994, whereas since the introduction of GMO Maize in USA in 1996, it has not exceeded before the average of 11 MT/Ha whereas Non-GMO countries like Turkey and Uzbekistan who had average yield of 3 MT/Ha in 1996 have now achieved an average yield of 10 and 12 MT/Ha respectively. Thus making it evident that there is no yield advantage in through the introduction of GMO. It is also pertinent here to note that GMO in food crops is not been permitted by the Government of Pakistan's Ministry of National Food Security and Research. This policy is in line with all major countries in the region who have disapproved GMO in food crops.
"The wet millers in Pakistan such as Rafhan who have export Maize based products have already expressed their concerns over GMO as they fear loss of exports due to contamination of local non-GMO crops. The exogenous contamination that is caused by GMO Maize will not only affect the Maize exports but also Rice and other exports causing billions of rupees loss to our national economy and leading to exploitation of farmers by the multinationals and feed industry.
"In view of the above the Seed Association of Pakistan once again reiterates its stance of opposing the GMO in Maize and food crops in the best interests of the country and farmers and once again profoundly condemns the statement by Dr Muhammad Arshad, CEO Hi-Tech Group."