General Discussion

grahamhgreen

(15,741 posts) Wed Mar 19, 2014, 10:46 AM Mar 2014

Ukraine corn may replace US corn in China. Monsanto/GMO's/Ukraine

According to Ukrainian marketing experts the country could increase supplies to China by 5-6 mln tonnes, thus taking the largest part of the US share of the market. Experts added that Ukraine corn has a number of competitive advantages over US production, in particular it is completely GMO-free.

http://www.allaboutfeed.net/Nutrition/Raw-Materials/2014/1/Ukraine-corn-may-replace-US-corn-in-China-1442190W/

Sustainable Pulse Director, Henry Rowlands, reacted to the Ukrainian associations’ statement by suggesting that “Ukrainian agriculture will be seriously damaged if the Ukrainian government legally allows GM seeds in the country. Their farmers will find their export markets reduced due to consumers’ anti-GMO sentiments both in Russia and the EU.”

Rowlands continued: “The bulk of Monsanto’s investment in Europe is destined for the Ukraine, where Monsanto expects to have its largest seed production plant in Europe within five years after earmarking an initial $150 million investment, which could rise to $300 million within several years. Does Ukrainian agriculture want to totally rely on the success or failure of one US based company?”

http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/11/05/sustainable-pulse-slams-ukraine-agri-associations-over-gm-seeds-draft-law/#.Uymuwpm9LTo

China Rejecting U.S. Corn as First Shipment From Ukraine Arrives
By Bloomberg News
January 06, 2014 3:53 AM EST
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China continued to reject corn cargoes from the U.S. that contained an unapproved genetically modified variety while accepting a first bulk-carrier shipment of the grain from Ukraine.
Genetically modified corn and corn-derived products totaling 601,000 metric tons were rejected in 2013, the official Xinhua News Agency reported today, citing the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. A Panamax-sized shipment of non-genetically modified corn from Ukraine entered the country on Dec. 6, according to a statement dated Dec. 25 on the website of state-owned China National Complete Engineering Corp.
The quarantine agency’s newest figure cited by Xinhua was 56,000 tons more than it announced on Dec. 19, showing the government’s continued screening of U.S. corn and and dried distillers’ grains, or DDGS, for the unapproved insect resistanr MIR 162 gene.

Net corn sales to China from the U.S. in the seven days through Dec. 26 dropped by 116,000 tons from the previous week, according to a report on the website of U.S. Department of Agriculture.
China National Complete Engineering carries out overseas engineering projects, often funded by Chinese government, according to its website. It began to market grain from Ukraine last year under a contract that became effective December...

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: William Bi in Beijing at wbi@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Brett Miller at bmiller30@bloomberg.net

Will dig into this later. So we have gas and oil interests.... Big Agribusiness, Monsanto.... And austerity behind the scenes.