Turkey imports GMO products: Association

ISTANBUL

The Consumer Rights Association (TDH) claimed yesterday that several different genetically modified organism (GMO) products that jeopardize people’s health are being imported as the companies involved in 21 tons of seized GMO rice still deny the allegations.

Turkey imported officially and legally goods like soya bean, soya oil, corn, cotton and rice worth more than $12 billion from producer countries between 2008 and 2012, said THD in a statement. Turkey imported $6 billion of these goods from the United States, one of the biggest GMO producers in the world.

Tat Bakliyat, one of three companies – including Tiryaki Agro Gıda and Göze Tarım – whose imported rice was seized due to GMO allegations, said the results showed that GMOs were found in only four parts in 10,000 of the rice and it was caused by soya bean traces that entered the goods during transport.

Göze Tarım said they had imported the good from U.S. company ADM and that they had certificates from Eurofins that proved that the rice did not include any GMO content. It added that no GMO rice was traded in the world.

Around 21,000 tons of genetically modified rice imported from a United States-based company were seized in the southern province of Mersin, officials said April 4.

Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazıcı said the imported rice had been seized and that the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) had examined the samples. Prosecutors reportedly began an investigation into the case after analysis revealed the presence of GMOs, the ministry said in a statement.