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Agriculture |
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Developing nations are increasingly moving into the commercial production of genetically modified (GM) crops, an organization of scientists promoting the adoption of farm biotechnology noted in a recent report. Farm biotechnology involves the production of agricultural commodities with superior traits via the alteration of their genetic makeup. In its report, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) said developing countries last year expanded their commercial plantings of GM crops to 10.7 million hectares (has.), 51% up from 7.1 million has. in 1999. Industrial nations, on the other hand, expanded their plantings by a slower 2% to 33.5 million has. from 32.8 million has. in 1999. Worldwide, commercial plantings of GM crops reached 44.2 million has. last year, up 11% from 39.9 million has. in 1999. In his report titled "Global Review of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2000," ISAAA chair Clive James attributed the strong surge in plantings to farmers' growing confidence in the potential of GM crops to boost world farm and animal feed production. "The fact that legions of farmers in both industrial and developing countries around the world have made independent decisions to increase their transgenic crop areas by more than 25- fold in five years speaks volumes of the confidence and trust farmers have placed in transgenic crops that can make a vital contribution to global food, feed and fiber security," Mr. James said. Mr. James said Argentina and China accounted for the biggest hectarage increases among developing nations. Last year, Argentina expanded its plantings of GM crops to 10 million has. in 2000, up 49% from 6.7 million has. the previous year. China's plantings, meanwhile, grew 67% to 500,000 has. from 300,000 has. back in 1999. Overall, Argentina and China ranked as the second and fourth countries with the biggest farm areas devoted to the cultivation of GM or transgenic crops. Mr. James said a big surge in plantings of transgenic soybean and corn accounted for the growth in Argentina's farmlands devoted to transgenic crops while increased plantings of GM cotton fuelled the expansion in China. Three other developing nations planted transgenic crops on a commercial scale: South Africa (200,000 has.), Mexico (less than 100,000 has.) and Uruguay (less than 100,000). South Africa planted GM corn and cotton; Mexico GM cotton; and Uruguay transgenic herbicide tolerant soybean. Mr. James said Uruguay's cultivation of 3,000 has. last year is its first commercial planting of transgenic soybean. The US remained the world's biggest producer of GM crops among 13 nations as it planted 30.3 million has. last year, up by a modest 6% from 28.7 million has. in 1999. Growth was fuelled by a surge in the cultivation of transgenic soybean (the US' biggest GM crop), cotton, and canola. The US reduced plantings of GM corn last year. Canada, the third largest producer, however reduced its plantings in 2000 by 25% to 3 million has. in 2000 from the previous year's 4 million has. Mr. James attributed the area contraction to reduced plantings of transgenic canola due to low prices. Argentina, China, Canada and the US alone accounted for 99% of the world's total transgenic crop area last year. Thirteen countries in all planted GM crops on a commercial scale last year. The six other countries include: Australia (200,000 has.), Romania (less than 100,000 has.), Bulgaria (less than 100,000 has.), Spain (less than 100,000 has.), Germany (less than 100,000 has.), and France (less than 100,000 has.). Australia planted transgenic cotton; Romania - GM soybean and potatoes; Bulgaria - herbicide-tolerant corn; while Spain Germany and France planted corn borer-resistant Bt corn. Soybean and corn remained the world's biggest transgenic crops in terms of hectarage last year. Farm areas planted to soybean reached 25.9 million has. or 58% of the 44.2 million has. planted to GM crops in the world. Transgenic corn areas, meanwhile, reached 10.3 million has. or 23% of the total GM crop plantings in 2000. GM soybean areas grew last year from 21.6 million has. while last year's transgenic corn hectarage shrunk from 11.1 million has. in 1999. Mr. James said American and Canadian farmers reduced plantings of transgenic pest resistant Bt corn in anticipation of low infestation problems in 2000. "Observers have identified the principal cause of decrease in transgenic corn in the USA in 2000 to lower plantings of Bt corn by farmers who concluded that the low infestation of European Corn Borer in 1999 may not merit the use of Bt corn in 2000 on the basis that infestation would continue to be low," Mr. James explained. The following are other transgenic crops planted last year: cotton (5.3 million has.); canola (2.8 million has.); potato (less than 100,000 has.); squash (less than 100,000 has.); and papaya (less than 100,000 has.). Source: Business World
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