Thailand has not introduced GM foods and crops on a commercial basis yet. Sutat said his organisation was in favour of the technology and the government would soon embark on a campaign to educate the public about GMO because he said fears about such crops were caused mostly by inaccurate information. Many developed countries have safely used the biotechnology to boost their farm efficiency for a long time. The world has now reached a yield plateau. Most of the fears are unfounded.
Biotechnology enables genes to be manipulated.
For example, genes can be introduced into crops to make them more resistant to disease or pests. Farmers interviewed by Reuters in recent weeks said they were concerned that local strains could disappear if farmers switch to high-yielding GM strains. They also feared that they would become dependent on foreign technology because they will have to buy new seeds every planting season as seeds from most GM crops do not germinate. Consumers are worried about the possible impact on health and the environment while poultry exporters fear GMO-related products would be discriminated against by some buying countries. Thailand is the world's top producer of rubber and tapioca.