Continuing a 10-year trend, plantings of biotech corn varieties in Spain notched another increase, according to figures from Spain's Ministry of Agriculture. The figures demonstrate a 40% increase in biotech corn plantings in 2007 over 2006, from 53,667 hectares (Ha) to about 75,000 Ha.
The last time Spanish farmers increased biotech corn plantings at such a large rate was in 2004 after the government approved nine new biotech varieties, giving farmers a total of 16 to choose from and a more adequate supply, according to the US Dept. of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service. At the beginning of 2007, Spanish farmers could choose from 42 varieties.
Because the summer of 2006 was hot, the presence of corn borers increased substantially in all corn growing regions, which led farmers to shift more production to biotech corn.
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