ROSARIO, ARGENTINA— Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp. is expecting approval from Brazil to import the company’s HB4 drought-resistant GMO wheat by early 2021, Federico Trucco, chief executive officer of Bioceres, told Reuters.

Bioceres recently received approval for its GMO wheat from Argentina, the first nation to approve a genetically modified wheat strain. Despite the Argentinian approval, Bioceres GMO wheat commercialization within the country is dependent upon import approval in Brazil, which purchases just over 85% of its wheat from Argentina.

“We hope that they (Brazil) can make a decision soon, we expect this before the next wheat season in the southern hemisphere, which will begin next autumn and is a process that is already well advanced,” Federico told Reuters.

He also noted the level of caution Bioceres plans to take even if Brazil approves the GMO wheat, it “does not mean that the company, having that approval, immediately commercially launches the technology” and that the company would look to get approval in other markets.

“We will be as careful as possible in each international market,” Federico said.

Drought-tolerant HB4 Wheat is a patented seed technology developed by Trigall Genetics, Bioceres’ joint venture with Florimond Desprez, a global leader in wheat genetics. In field trials conducted during the last 10 years, HB4 seed varieties increased wheat yields by 20%, on average, during growing seasons impacted by droughts.