Monsanto Opens Large GM Seed Factory in South Africa

On 28 April 2011, Business Day in South Africa reported that Monsanto had opened a seed factory for gene modified (GM) seeds that may be the largest processing factory for GM maize seed in Africa to date. 

The new factory is located in Lichtenburg in the North West region of South Africa. According to the article, the plant is preparing for the future export of GM seeds to the rest of Africa and "this places new emphasis on South Africa's growing stature in the GE market as both producer and exporter. South Africa is considered Africa’s top GM foods producer, having been among the first countries on the continent to take up research and production of the seeds."

Prior to the opening of this plant, Monsanto in South Africa exported "300,000 10kg bags of GM (containing 35,000 kernels each) to Europe, the Philippines and Egypt."

Monsanto's new plant will be in full production in May 2011.  It will have the newest grain dyring and laboratory research technology for DNA testing. 

The article reports that Monsanto has plans to establish a similar plant in Zambia.

For more see: For more see: Radebe, Hopewell. "Genetically modified seed factory opened," BusinessDay (South Africa), 28 April 2011.