Curitiba, September 30, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The governor of Paraná, Roberto Requião, affirmed today that the state will maintain its quality differential and reject the adoption of genetically modified soybeans. Natural soybeans, in his view, are universally accepted and constitute one of the requirements to gain access to the Chinese market, which is signalling the possibility of an agreement to import the product for the next 10 years.

The governor's position was expressed during the seminar "Export Promotion - Paraná on the International Agenda," held in Curitiba. "We have to defend Paraná and Brazil and put globalization aside, unless it is in our interests," Requião affirmed. He said that a study is being done to implant a program to accompany soybeans in the state, from the harvest to the embarkation of shipments in the Port of Paranaguá, as a way to guarantee importers of the quality of the product. For the governor, whoever adopts transgenics will suffer losses in the short, medium, and long run.

The Ministry of Development's coordinator-general of Export Promotion Support, Arthur Pimentel, considered important the position of the government of Paraná as far as transgenics are concerned, and he said that the issue should still produce further discussions. "It is good for us to know the position of the state government, especially since we are doing a study of competitive products and directing these products towards specific markets," he said.

Paraná, Pimentel added, has already signed a cooperation agreement for these activities related to exports. The federal government's strategic plan for trade promotion not only takes into account the characteristics of each area but also presents entrepreneurs with the tools necessary to overcome the trade barriers facing their products. (DAS)