February 10, 2008	Sunday	Safar 02, 1429

PARIS, Feb 9: France officially imposed on Saturday a ban on a strain of genetically modified (GM) corn produced by the US agribusiness giant Monsanto, with the publication of an agriculture ministry order in the state’s official journal.

“The growing of corn seeds ... derived from genetically modified corn strain Mon 810 is prohibited on [French] territory,” read the order signed by Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier. Monsanto’s 810 maize had been the only GM crop grown in France, but the French government last month began moving to ban its further use after a watchdog authority said it had “serious doubts” about the product in a report that has been controversial even among the scientists who put it together.

The agriculture ministry order said the ban would remain in force until a decision was taken whether to renew the authorisation for the GM strain to be sold on the French market.

French corn farmers have already said they planned to challenge the ban in court.—AFP