Genetic Engineering - an Issue of Trade

It is very disconcerting to see the Labour Government signing away an obvious competitive trade advantage in relation to New Zealand's position on genetic engineering.

The wind blows in Europe which means that genetically engineered crops cannot be controlled between countries, even if there is a will for that. There is a huge consumer demand for produce that is free from any modification and we are seeing that at a very significant level now amongst our major trading parties.

Other countries cannot meet the demand due to their situation and circumstance. New Zealand can due to the fact that we are an island nation geographically isolated.

It seems crazy given the financial benefits.

A windfall as the evidence points to with a GE Free future affects the income that can be generated, which in turn affects the tax take and the ability for the Government to provide essential public services.

The truth is that there is an international consumer backlash against genetically modified goods which very few countries are able to capitalize on. New Zealand is in a position to be able to benefit from maintaining the moratorium. This is why the Government should seriously consider keeping it in place. It's what the majority of New Zealanders want.

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