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The solution is there all along,expert backs
Bt eggplant’s benefits against pests 
Biotechnology is the key to solving issues on Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer (FSB) and the recent court decision on the moratorium of Bt eggplant is leading farmers to incur heavy losses because of the pest.
According to Dr. Merle Palacpac, head of the National Plant Quarantine Services at the Bureau of Plant Industry, reports indicate that each year, 50-70% of eggplant crops are lost or damaged due to FSB, leading farmers to heavily rely on pesticides, which can make up to 40% of production costs. However, researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) College of Agriculture and Food Science have long developed a solution to this issue: a genetically modified (GMO) variety known as Bt Eggplants are not only resistant to FSB but they have also undergone various safety assessments. Before the moratorium, Bt Eggplant received multiple biosafety permits from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry, indicating it is suitable for commercial planting. It has also been successfully grown in Bangladesh since 2014. Nutritionally, Bt Eggplant is identical to traditional varieties and, being resistant to FSB, requires fewer pesticides, thus reducing residues on the fruit. Dr. Palacpac explained that Bt Eggplant's resistance comes from incorporating insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium. This method, similar to Bt Corn, which has been safely used in the Philippines for over two decades, targets pests like FSB while remaining safe for humans and mammals because the proteins do not activate in the human digestive system. “As advocates of biotechnology, we welcome these statements from the experts, attesting to the safety of GM crops to humans and their benefits to our farmers. We are seriously hoping that the Court of Appeals reassesses its position on the matter and lift the moratorium soon,” CropLife Execvutive Director Ramon Abadilla said |
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