Brasília, November 6, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Monsanto, the company that hold the patent on Roundup Ready transgenic soybeans, plans to charge farmers royalties for the use of its seeds beginning in the current, 2003-2004, growing season. According to the president of Monsanto in Brazil, Rich Greubel, collection will based on beans that are sold.

He added that the value will only be determined after approval of Provisional Measure 131/03 (MP 131), which authorized the cultivation and sale of transgenic soybeans. Studies made by the company suggest royalty collections of R$ 25 per ton, which corresponds to between R$ 1 and R$ 1.50 for each sack of soybeans.

Monsanto's board of directors met on Wednesday (5) for around 4 hours with members of the Chamber of Deputies, at the invitation of the reporter of MP 131, Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS). The deputy asked Monsanto for all its reports on the impact of transgenics on human and animal health, the environment, and agriculture.

Pimenta announced that he will include in the provisional measure an article making the company responsible for eventual damages to the environment and health, as stipulated in the Biotechnology Law. The deputies are calling for a public audience to debate the liberation of transgenics in Brazil with executive organs and organizations from civil society. (DAS)