International News Briefs

ForesTrade, a VT-based trading company, is encouraging farmers returning to abandoned farmland, after 35 years of civil war in Guatemala, to keep the land organic. The company is paying a premium for locally grown coffee, cardamom and other spices. ForesTrade forecasts almost $3 million in sales this year, with a target of $6.5 million in 2000.

Bionutrics Inc. (BNRX) completed its $8.5 million transaction, which was announced in August, with AC Humko Corp. of Memphis, TN, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods. BNRX’s wholly owned subsidiary Nutrition Technology Corp. Inc. received $2.5 million for the sale of certain rice bran oil and processing assets to complete the asset sale portion of the transaction. The companies have allied to develop rice bran oil and other derivative products.

Boiron, France’s leading homeopathic drugs producer, wants to reinforce its business in eastern Europe and the U.S. and is open to acquisition opportunities in Latin America and China. With 200 million French francs, or about $35.1 million in cash to spend, it also could buy back shares or raise its dividend, company Chairman Christian Boiron told the French weekly Le Journal des Finances. Operating profits rose 25% in the first half to Fr69.2 million or $12.3 million.

U.S. fast-food giant McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) is offering a vegetarian section in its new Sri Lanka stores. The menu is otherwise McDonald’s standard fare, but spicier to suit the south Asian palate, and pork is not served.

Complementary medicine has reached number 10 in the top-10 career preferences among Israeli adults aged 19 to 26, according to the Hadassah Career Counselling Institute. According to the Jerusalem Post, while some regulations have been set for the practice of acupuncture, no licensing procedures are in place for alternative practitioners.

The German Social Democrat Party won a plurality over former Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s Christian Democrats and appointed Gerhard Schroeder chancellor-elect. To form a cabinet under the parliamentary government, Schroeder formed a coalition government with the Green Party, which may be able to force through changes including a possible ban on imports of genetically modified American foods, the New York Times reported.

Six Canada health scientists filed grievances with the Canadian government, saying they were pressured to write positive reports about the use of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). The scientists, headed by Dr. Shiv Chopra, who has helped the Canadian Consumer Right to Know campaign, say they base reservations on studies in rats that indicate rBGH may elevate antibody levels and increase the incidence of thyroid cysts and inflammation of the prostate. Studies by the U.S. FDA show no negative effects in rats.

The European Commission said a decision by France to suspend distribution of a genetically modified maize developed by Swiss chemical giant Novartis (NOVZ) might be illegal under European Union law. France delayed a decision to allow Novartis to market three Novartis seed varieties but will not stop the current harvest of nearly 2,000 hectares from being sold.

Britain is considering a three-year moratorium on the commercial planting of genetically modified crops, the Independent newspaper said in October. The government met with Monsanto (MTC) and other biotechnology companies based in Britain for talks about a voluntary code that would delay wide-scale planting of the crops until 2002.

Opta Food Ingredients Inc. (OPTS) in October established a wholly owned subsidiary to expand sales to major food processors in Europe under the name Opta Food Ingredients (Europe) Ltd. The European unit initially consists of sales, marketing, and technical service offices located outside of London.

Takeda’s bulk vitamin and food business faced intense price competition from its global counterparts and stagnant domestic consumption in its FY98, ended March 31. The Japanese firm posted sales of 83.7 billion yen, or about $627 million, a decline of 5.4% on the prior year.