Pakistan: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual

The Department of Plant Protection (DPP) stopped imports of genetically engineered (GE) soybeans and canola in late October 2022. DPP said that importers needed an import license from the Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC). However, MOCC had no system to process import licenses for GE commodities destined for food, feed, or processing (FFP). Despite attempts to amend the National Biosafety Rules and Guidelines to create a system for importers to obtain a license, as of November 2023, the GE commodity import ban remains. Prior to the ban, Pakistan had been annually importing 2.5 to 3 million tons of GE oilseeds for FFP.