Philippines: Philippine Bt Cotton - 4th GE Crop Approved for Commercial Propagation

On August 24, 2023, the Philippines marked Bt cotton as the 4th genetically engineered crop approved for commercial propagation after corn (2002), rice (2021), and eggplant (2022). The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) issued a Biosafety Permit for the commercial propagation of a Bt cotton trait (GFM cry1A) developed by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA). Bt cotton replaces the need to control the bollworm through the application of synthetic chemical pesticides.