This technology would allow us to produce it maybe in six months," said Ard Groot, chairman of East-West seed. The technology, which will produce seeds that are 10 times cheaper than genetically modified varieties, are especially suited to Southeast Asia, where farmers cannot afford expensive seeds. A variety of vegetable seeds are produced by East-West Seed. Some of these farmers have been saving seeds for generations, and it is hard to convince them to pay more for seeds that give better yields. As CRISPR speeds up the natural breeding process, East-West Seed is looking to develop specific varieties for other parts of the world.

Source: Bangkok Post February 13, 2018 23:03 UTC