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US seed exports to Japan holdin' strong despite biotech concerns

(Aug. 22, 2002 -- CropChoice news) -- Despite Japanese consumer concerns about the safety of genetically modified food products, many of which carry a U.S. label, the United States remained the dominant player in 2001, with vegetable seed exports that accounted for 39 percent of the market. It captured 47 percent for forage crops, 79 percent for pea and bean seeds and 34 percent for other types of seeds.

Japan's total sweet corn seed imports declined almost 30 percent in quantity and 13 percent in dollar value in 2001, from the previous year, due to continued market concerns about biotech. Although U.S. imports dropped 25 percent in quantity and 15 percent in value from the previous year, the United States retained a dominant 93 percent share of the market.

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service report is available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scripts/gd.asp?ID=145783591