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OGTR

Twenty varieties of petunia

In 2017 the Regulator found GM petunias that had been imported into Australia without approval. Its fact sheet, first issued in May 2017 and last updated in November 2021, says "at least twenty varieties of GM petunia have been imported into Australia". The Regulator assessed them as posing no...

In 2017 the Regulator found GM petunias that had been imported into Australia without approval. Its fact sheet, first issued in May 2017 and last updated in November 2021, says "at least twenty varieties of GM petunia have been imported into Australia". The Regulator assessed them as posing no risk, said they "must not be marketed", issued licences so that people could lawfully dispose of them, and worked with importers, suppliers and industry bodies to get them off the shelves. It told home gardeners they could let the plants die or put them in the compost, but that "it is an offence to knowingly plant or otherwise propagate them". No investigation outcome was found in the 2017-18 annual report as read.

Sources: OGTR, Genetically modified (GM) petunias in Australia (version 1, 17 May 2017, to version 5, November 2021); Annual Report 2017-18.