Browse Data and Analysis

This report provides the latest status of consumption, regulation, public perception, research, development, production, and use of agricultural biotechnology in Japan.

This report assesses the agricultural biotechnology sector in the Netherlands, and covers related production, trade, and policies. It includes topics related to genetic engineering and innovative plant, animal, and microbial biotechnologies.

On June 2021, Kenya became the first country globally to approve the environmental release of genetically engineered (GE) cassava. Bt. corn will likely be sent to Kenya’s cabinet for exemption from Kenya’s GE ban and final approval in fall 2021.

Poland opposes the use of genetic engineering (GE) in agriculture. Although the current regulatory framework technically allows GE seeds to enter commerce, the law stipulates they cannot be planted.

Romania is one of the European Union’s (EU) most progressive and pro-science Member States (MSs) regarding agricultural biotechnology. Currently, Romanian farmers cultivate no commercial biotech crops, but they widely use imported genetically engineered (GE) soybean meal as a livestock feed ingredient.

There have been no recent significant official changes to the genetically engineered (GE) policies established by the New Zealand government.

Saudi regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients.

In 2009, Serbia adopted the current “Law on Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs),” which strictly prohibits importing, producing, or commercial growing genetically engineered crops. After more than ten years, Serbia still has not implemented changes to this “Law on GEOs” that conforms to European Union (EU) regulations or the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.

South Africa has a robust and experienced regulatory system for genetically engineered (GE) products, which started with the publication of its “GMO” Act in 1997. Today, South Africa is among the top-10 largest producers of GE crops in the world and by far the largest in Africa.

The Government of Tanzania (GoT) uses a conservative, precautionary approach to manage genetically engineered (GE) products.

In 2021, Vietnam completed its approvals for the outstanding product applications for food and feed import. Vietnam continues to benefit from biotech corn as a sustainable tool in the fight against fall army worm (FAW) and increased the production area to more than one hundred thousand hectares (ha) in 2020/2021.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has yet to send the draft Biodiversity Law, which includes biosafety regulations covering research, field trial, and commercialization for genetically engineered plant, animal, and microorganisms, to the Cabinet for approval.