The month of June 2018 saw a number of approvals granted for cultivation of biotech crops both regionally and globally.
Regionally, Kenya has planted Bt cotton at seven National Performance Trial sites, as the country takes a step closer to commercialization of the insect resistant biotech cotton. This is following the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) issuing a license approving the trials. Ethiopia approved commercial release of insect resistant cotton, the first time the country approves cultivation of a biotech crop.
Globally, four countries made approvals for cultivation of four biotech crops for both food and feed use. Malaysia approved two biotech crops; herbicide tolerant canola and two maize events modified for herbicide tolerance and stack trait herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. For the very first time, Swaziland approved commercial release of insect resistant cotton. Taiwan made an approval for herbicide tolerant soybean while Argentina approved biotech alfalfa modified for herbicide tolerance and plant quality, in addition to herbicide tolerant soybean.
| June 21, 2018 | Argentina approved the alfalfa event KK179 x J101 (HT + PQ) and the soybean event MON87708 x MON89788 (stacked HT) for commercial use. |
| June 18, 2018 | Taiwan approved the soybean event MON87708 x MON89788 x A5547-127 (stacked HT) for food use. |
| June 13, 2018 | Ethiopia approved the GM cotton Event1 (IR) for commercial release. This is the first time the country has approved a GM crop. |
| June 6, 2018 | Swaziland approved the GM cotton Event1 (IR) for commercial release. This is the first GM approval granted by Swaziland. |
| May 30, 2018 | Malaysia approved the canola event 73496 (HT) and the maize events MZIR098 (HT + IR) and MON87427 (HT) for food and feed use. |