Pakistan: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual

Pakistan’s biotech regulatory system is currently on hiatus as the courts work to determine whether the provinces or federal government should regulate biotech crops. A federal system was implemented in 2005, but its role has not been clear since Pakistan “devolved” a number of federal powers to the provinces in 2010. Pakistan has only approved two biotech traits, both for use in cotton to control lepidopterans. Nevertheless, over 90 percent of Pakistan’s cotton crop is produced from biotech seeds and cottonseed oil is Pakistan’s largest domestically produced vegetable oil. Pakistan is also a significant importer of products derived from biotech soybeans and canola. The Biosafety Act, if approved, would return oversight to the sector to the federal government. Similarly, approval of the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act would create intellectual property protection that would help spur investment and development of the sector. 

Pakistan: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual