All GMO plants are grown illegally in Ukraine, says environment protection ministry

The growing of any genetically modified plants in Ukraine is illegal, as there have been no official applications to grow the said plants, according to the Ukrainian Environment Protection Ministry.

"Everything that is genetically modified and planted in Ukraine is planted illegally, and if facts of this were confirmed, everything would have to be seized and destroyed," Deputy Director of the department for natural eco-systems and bio-security at the environment protection ministry, Serhiy Hubar, said at a press conference on Tuesday.

He said that Ukraine had signed the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which sets out the international standards for the use of genetically modified crops. According to the protocol, the Environment Protection Ministry issues permits to import GMOs to the country.

"No official application to use GMO has been submitted to the ministry over the whole period from the moment when the Cartagena Protocol took effect in Ukraine and the law on state bio-security system was adopted," Hubar said.

Chairperson of All-Ukrainian Ecological League, Tetiana Tymochko, said that GMOs are imported to Ukraine in two ways – in the form of fodder grain or with fabricated certificates. There are no laboratories and specialists at customs checkpoints to check seeds for GMO content.

According to unofficial data, GM soybean's share in Ukraine is 60-70%, that for corn – 20-10%, and for rape – 5%. There is no unofficial information on GM potatoes and vegetables, although ecologists are certain that they are being planted in Ukraine.

Tymochko said that the league was initiating the creation of a single state body which would coordinate all GMO issues. The league is also initiating a program entitled From Field to Table, foreseeing monitoring of the spread of GM crop planting.