Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08VILNIUS327
2008-05-06 06:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vilnius
Cable title:
HIGHER FOOD PRICES HAVE NO EFFECT ON LITHUANIAN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHVL #0327 1270609 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 060609Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY VILNIUS TO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS BE RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2257 INFO RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 3717
UNCLAS VILNIUS 000327
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR ITA:LMARKOWITZ;
WARSAW FOR FAS:EWENBERG AND KSNIPES;
WARSAW FOR FCS:DMCNEIL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON LH
SUBJECT: HIGHER FOOD PRICES HAVE NO EFFECT ON LITHUANIAN
RESISTANCE TO BIO-TECH
REF: VILNIUS 283
UNCLAS VILNIUS 000327
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR ITA:LMARKOWITZ;
WARSAW FOR FAS:EWENBERG AND KSNIPES;
WARSAW FOR FCS:DMCNEIL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON LH
SUBJECT: HIGHER FOOD PRICES HAVE NO EFFECT ON LITHUANIAN
RESISTANCE TO BIO-TECH
REF: VILNIUS 283
1. Neither the Director of the Economics Department of the
Bank of Lithuania, Raimondas Kuodis, nor the PM's Advisor on
Agricultural Issues, Mindaugas Bastys or the Head of the
Ministry of Environment's Genetically Modified Organisms
Division, Danius Lygis, feel that recent price rises in food
and agricultural commodities have encouraged the GOL to
reconsider its resistance to the introduction of bio-tech
crops. All expressed concern for the use and consumption of
such products in Lithuania. Lygis mentioned a May 8 Steering
Committee meeting at the Ministry of Environment to discuss
worldwide food price increases, where, perhaps, bio-tech
might be discussed. He added that after the October 2008
parliamentary elections, Lithuania's resistance to field
trials of bio-tech crops might change.
2. Laimonas Ciakas, Director of the Ministry of
Agriculture's EU Affairs and International Relations
Department, reiterated arguments against bio-tech we have
heard before: Lithuania is a small country where buffer
zones would be difficult to establish and multiple
generations' worth of testing needs to be completed before
bio-tech products are deemed safe. Ciakas mentioned,
however, that with transport fuel price increases and EU
goals on bio-fuel use included in the 2020 plan, Lithuania
might look towards a future of importing bio-tech commodities
to produce bio-fuel. Also, Ciakas mentioned that products
not for human consumption made from bio-tech, such as
plastics or textiles, could be considered in the future for
sale in Lithuania.
3. We spoke with a representative of a local firm that
produces bio-fuel. He said that none of the Lithuanian
bio-fuel producers import their inputs from abroad. Hence,
all are using conventional or organic crops in their
production.
CLOUD
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR ITA:LMARKOWITZ;
WARSAW FOR FAS:EWENBERG AND KSNIPES;
WARSAW FOR FCS:DMCNEIL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON LH
SUBJECT: HIGHER FOOD PRICES HAVE NO EFFECT ON LITHUANIAN
RESISTANCE TO BIO-TECH
REF: VILNIUS 283
1. Neither the Director of the Economics Department of the
Bank of Lithuania, Raimondas Kuodis, nor the PM's Advisor on
Agricultural Issues, Mindaugas Bastys or the Head of the
Ministry of Environment's Genetically Modified Organisms
Division, Danius Lygis, feel that recent price rises in food
and agricultural commodities have encouraged the GOL to
reconsider its resistance to the introduction of bio-tech
crops. All expressed concern for the use and consumption of
such products in Lithuania. Lygis mentioned a May 8 Steering
Committee meeting at the Ministry of Environment to discuss
worldwide food price increases, where, perhaps, bio-tech
might be discussed. He added that after the October 2008
parliamentary elections, Lithuania's resistance to field
trials of bio-tech crops might change.
2. Laimonas Ciakas, Director of the Ministry of
Agriculture's EU Affairs and International Relations
Department, reiterated arguments against bio-tech we have
heard before: Lithuania is a small country where buffer
zones would be difficult to establish and multiple
generations' worth of testing needs to be completed before
bio-tech products are deemed safe. Ciakas mentioned,
however, that with transport fuel price increases and EU
goals on bio-fuel use included in the 2020 plan, Lithuania
might look towards a future of importing bio-tech commodities
to produce bio-fuel. Also, Ciakas mentioned that products
not for human consumption made from bio-tech, such as
plastics or textiles, could be considered in the future for
sale in Lithuania.
3. We spoke with a representative of a local firm that
produces bio-fuel. He said that none of the Lithuanian
bio-fuel producers import their inputs from abroad. Hence,
all are using conventional or organic crops in their
production.
CLOUD