The Tokyo Grain Exchange, Japan's largest agricultural commodity futures market, will start trading non-genetically modified soybean futures as early as May. It expects it will be the first exchange in the world to do so.
Processor demand in Japap is shifting to non-GM soybeans as Japanese food companies become eager to avoid slapping a GM label on products for fear of alienating consumers.
By April 2001, the Japanese government will require that food be labeled if it contains GM ingredients....Last year GM soybeans represented 57 % of the US soybean crop. The U.S. supplies about 80% of Japan's annual soybean imports.
Cheers, Ken Hanly