BASF Looks Beyond Europe For Biotech

Stung by its still unsuccessful 10-year effort to introduce a genetically modified potato in Europe, BASF is putting the project on a back burner to focus instead on non-European projects. The company's high-starch Amflora potato is designed to be used as an industrial starch source, not for edible purposes. Now, the company will focus on biotech projects that can be implemented globally, such as developing drought-tolerant plants or increasing yields for crops such as cotton, corn, soybeans, and canola, says Stefan Marcinowski, BASF board director for R&D. Much of that work will be addressed by the firm's ongoing research cooperation with Monsanto.