Scotland to export biotech-free whiskey to Kenya

Kenyans, who down about half a billion worth of Scotch whisky, are assured their imported drink will be free of genetically modified organism (GMO), after Scotland banned growing of transgenic crops.

According to the Scotch Whisky Association, which monitors the industry in Scotland, in the UK, Kenya imports about Sh500 million worth of the spirit annually.

On Monday, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead said the country will not allow the growing of GMOs to protect its agriculture and economy.

Scotch whisky in Kenya is distributed by the East African Breweries, which is partially owned by the UK’s multinational alcohol maker Diageo, who are also members of the Scotch Whisky Association.

The association says Scotland exports 40 bottles of the barley-made whisky every second across the globe.

Lochhead said allowing GM crops to be grown in Scotland would damage its clean and green brand, thereby gambling with the future of their food and drink sector.

“Scottish food and drink is valued at home and abroad for its natural and high quality, which often attracts a premium price, and I have heard directly from food and drink producers in other countries that are ditching GM because of a consumer backlash,” he said in a statement.

Lochhead said Scotland would be guided by what is best for its economy and agricultural sector rather than the priorities of others.

Scotland is taking advantage of a new regulation passed by the European Union this year allowing individual countries to make own decisions on whether to grow, import or research on GMOs. Other countries are expected to follow suit.

“Scotland and by extension the UK are major importers of Kenya’s agricultural produce and this decision will have obvious consequences,” said Ann Maina of the African Biodiversity Network.

She said Scotland, with such strong feelings about GMOs, will not import non-processed agricultural produce for fear of contaminating their environment.

Last year, the head of the EU delegation to Kenya, Lodewjik Briet, warned local farmers that they would find it difficult to export to Europe if they adopted GMO crops.

But the country is under immense pressure from the Americans to lift a ban on GMOs, which was placed in 2012 over safety concerns.

A team appointed to investigate the safety of GMOs has since advised the Government to be cautious because the country lacks sufficient capacity to regulate such crops.