The Lithuanian ministry of the decided on Tuesday that it will not issue the permit to cultivate genetically modified summer rape for test purposes. The decision comes amid a visit by European Union Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Marianna Fischer Boel, who prompted Lithuanians not to fear genetically modified foodstuffs. Last October, German company BASF Plant Science GmbH applied for a permit to grow genetically modified summer rape on the test fields of the Agriculture Institute in the district of Klaipeda for test purposes. Their application has been denied by the Lithuanian ministry of agriculture.