Disappointing yields and poor quality fibre cited; compensation claims coming

The news outlet Jeune Afrique reports that Interprofessional Cotton in Burkina Faso has decided to phase out the use of Monsanto’s GMO cotton seeds over the next three years.

Interprofessional Cotton is an association of cotton farmers, banks, private stakeholders, the government, and research institutes.

Producers are no longer the only ones to complain about Monsanto’s GM cotton.

Interprofessional Cotton members include the Société burkinabè des fibres textiles (Sofitex), Faso Coton, and the Société cotonnière du Gourma (Socoma, subsidiary of the French group Geocoton).

At issue are yields below what was promised in the contract, and the quality of cotton fibre, which did not meet expectations. Besides denouncing their contract with Monsanto, Interprofessional Cotton members are evaluating the amount of compensation that they will claim, based on losses related to the cultivation of transgenic cotton since 2008.

Source (French): Jeune Afrique http://economie.jeuneafrique.com/regions/afrique-subsaharienne/24957-le-burkina-dit-stop-aux-ogm-de-monsanto.html