Sygenta has spent the last five years trying to develop a magic
riceseed that they claim will cure blindness and eradicate
malnutritionacross the world. While claiming that the development
of Golden Ricewas not a commercial, but humantiarian venture(2),
they had alreadyapplied to patent it in over 100 countries, (3) It
would apply even indeveloping countries although it had previously
said the seedwould be provided free.
"Anyone applying for patents wants to make money from them,"
saysGreenpeace's patent expert, Christoph Then. "Syngenta seems to
haveproblems with the truth in general. The company also kept
secret therecent scandal involving unauthorised varieties of
geneticallymanipulated corn. The patent claims now discovered show
the true faceof a company that wants to ensure it has monopolistic
rights overplant-breeding, agriculture and food production, without
concern forthe dangers to people and the environment."
At least another five patents have been filed for important
genesequences in normal rice plants. Greenpeace is calling on
Syngenta towithdraw its patent applications. In addition to which,
patenting seedsand forms of life must be banned:
"Syngenta will undoubtedly claim they are happy to allow the
freeuse of the patent by researchers,"said Then. "But patents last
for 20years and the company can start charging anytime."
The agro-industry has been arguing for years that
geneticallymanipulated rice would help combat deficiency diseases.
However,agrarian scientists warn that patents impede research and
plantbreeding and jeopardise the existence of farmers who are no
longerallowed to use their own harvest for re-seeding.
The patent applications filed for the rice genome are
unprecedented inplant cultivation. They cover over 1,000 genetic
sequences which alsoaffect normal plant breeding. Syngenta's patent
claims are aimed at themost important gene sequences for plant
growth, resistance to diseaseand nutritional content. All genes
with a similar structure andfunction in other varieties of plant
are even included in the claims.
Other contacts: Bruno Heinzer, Greenpeace Switzerland: +41 (0) 79400 8831 Christoph Then, Greenpeace Germany: +49 (0)171 8780 832Simone Miller, Greenpeace Germany press officer, tel. +49 (0)40 30618 343
Notes: (1) http://archiv.greenpeace.de/Intl-patents/patents.htm(2) Nature Biotechnology, 23, 2005(3) (WO 04/085656) Countries included in the patent application are India, China, the Philippines and 16 African nations