Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology - Asian Productivity ...
Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology - Asian Productivity ...
Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology - Asian Productivity ...
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FOREWORD<br />
The emergence of agricultural biotechnology as a major investment area is propelling new<br />
growth of companies worldwide. Several major players in the food and seed industries are employing<br />
biotechnology as the core of their business. Some of these companies pioneered the use<br />
of biotechnology in the development of grain and oil seeds, while others started their businesses<br />
by applying advanced biotechnology to nonfood products such as cotton and ornamental plants.<br />
Others took more traditional biotechnology approaches in the brewing and fermentation of food<br />
products and beverages. <strong>Biotechnology</strong> is providing a means to meet increasing consumer demand<br />
<strong>for</strong> more varied and higher quality products.<br />
Despite recent advances, biotechnology still has enormous potential to create additional<br />
changes in agriculture. In many countries in the Asia and Pacific region, its application is still in<br />
the nascent stage and its benefits have not yet reached the majority of the population. In many<br />
cases, R&D outputs are still not reaching the commercialization stage, <strong>for</strong> varied reasons, and<br />
hence their full potential benefits to farmers and consumers in general remain untapped. Some<br />
consumers’ and environmentalists’ concerns related to food safety and the environmental ramifications<br />
of biotechnology are affecting its wider commercial applications and heightening the uncertainty<br />
surrounding its use.<br />
The APO there<strong>for</strong>e organized a multi-country study mission on “<strong>Business</strong> <strong>Potential</strong> <strong>for</strong><br />
<strong>Agricultural</strong> <strong>Biotechnology</strong> Products” to review the topic and identify how private companies,<br />
especially SMEs and including the government corporate sector, could capitalize on that potential<br />
in member countries to increase productivity in the agriculture sector. This volume is a compilation<br />
of the papers and proceedings of the study mission. I hope that it will serve as a useful<br />
reference on the subject in APO member countries and elsewhere.<br />
The APO is grateful to the Government of the Republic of China <strong>for</strong> hosting the mission<br />
and to the China <strong>Productivity</strong> Center, Taiwan Agriculture Research Institute, and Council of<br />
Agriculture of the Executive Yuan <strong>for</strong> implementing the program. Special thanks are due to<br />
Dr. Paul S. Teng <strong>for</strong> editing the present volume.<br />
Tokyo<br />
February 2007<br />
Shigeo Takenaka<br />
Secretary-General