events 2009
 |
Vitezslav Navratil is one of the pioneers GM corn
growers in the Czech Republic. Photo Jakub Hornek |
Czech Farmer Pleased with GM Corn
March 16, 2009
Vitezslav Navratil, the owner of agricultural company Rostenice, a.s. in South Moravia, is one of the pioneers of genetically modified (GM) corn growers in the Czech Republic. He started with the so-called Bt (biotechnology) corn in 2005 and this crop is now planted on 600 of his 8000 hectares.
“We are doing pretty well economically with the corn. It is more or less the same price as the standard corn and is much more resistant to pests and diseases. This saves us a lot of money because we can harvest later and thus don’t have to spend additional money on drying.”
Navratil says the Czech Republic belongs among liberal countries in EU when it comes to growing GM plants and the Agriculture Ministry is sympathetic to his business. “We would welcome more types of GM crops, but first we must see changes in EU policies, which remain very conservative. Countries like Austria and Greece in particular block any progress. But the development cannot be stopped and we hope the EU as a whole will understand there will be no other way in the future. ”
The farmer, whose fields and agricultural facilities spread around 20 villages in South Moravia, noted that he had heard no concerns from local folks related to his GM crops. “It’s politicians who are often against this, not other farmers and end users.”
About two-thirds of his GM corn production is sold in the Czech Republic for further processing as fodder and the rest is exported, mostly to Germany. Last year, more than 170 growers of Bt corn in the Czech Republic farmed a total of 8300 hectares of crops. The European Union currently permits only one genetically modified crop – MON 810 Bt corn.
Related stories:
Related links:
Embassy Information
Embassy Events
Events 2009
Liberation by U.S. Armed Forces
Events 2008
Events 2007
Events 2006
Events 2005
