Brazil established as a leader in adoption of biotechnology

Date:02-22-2013

In 2012, the fourth consecutive year, the Brazilian agriculture was the most boosted global growth of the area planted with GM varieties (GM), with a 21% increase compared to 2011, reaching a record of 36.6 million hectares, an increase of over 6.3 million. No other country has achieved such growth, which contributes to performance that Brazil is recognized as a global leader in the adoption of biotechnology.

The data was released in the latest report of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). The varieties grown in the country are soy, corn and cotton. The survey also indicates the record of world production, 170.3 million hectares in 2012, representing a growth rate of 6%, or 10.3 million hectares more than 160 million registered in 2011. Compared with the year 1996, the total planted in 2012 represents a magnification of 100 times the acreage. This makes the technology of transgenic fastest adopted crop in the history of modern agriculture because of its economic, social and agronomic. Brazil ranks second in the ranking of area planted with transgenics, behind only the United States, although the difference between the two countries will gradually diminishing over the years.

Number	Country	2012 area	2011 area	2010 area	GM crop planted
1	U.S.	69.5	69	66.8	Soybeans, corn, cotton, canola, squash, papaya, alfalfa and beet
2	Brazil	36.6	30.3	25.4	Soybeans, corn, cotton
3	Argentina	23.9	23.7	22.9	Soybeans, corn and cotton
4	Canada	11.6	10.4	8.8	Canola, corn, soybeans and sugar beets
5	India	10.8	10.6	9.4	Cotton
6	China	4.0	3.9	3.5	Cotton, papaya , poplar, tomato, green pepper
Area: million hectares

Among the aspects that contribute to the good performance of the country with regard to the adoption of the technology is stable and rigorous regulatory system, the seeds adapted to different realities and Brazilian investment in research. Notably, Embrapa developed a bean genetically modified (GM) virus that is resistant to the first event totally agronomic biotechnology developed by a public research institution.

ISAAA Another highlight of this year's survey is the dominance of developing countries as drivers of adoption biotechnology. Of the 28 countries planted biotech crops last year, 20 are developing countries. With this performance, the first time, developing countries, led by Brazil, Argentina, India, China and South Africa, planted more than half of the area planted to these varieties (52%).

Highlights World

Five EU countries planted a record 129,071 acres of transgenic corn, 13% more than in 2011. Spain led the EU with 116,307 hectares of GM maize, 20% more than in 2011. Two new countries, Sudan (insect resistant cotton) and Cuba (insect resistant maize) planted transgenic for the first time in 2012. The United States continues to lead the planted area and the rate of technology adoption, with 69.5 million hectares with an average of 90% adoption for all cultivars. India planted a record 10.8 million hectares of transgenic cotton with an adoption rate of 93%. Only in 2011, the adoption of GM varieties has reduced CO2 emissions by 23.1 billion pounds, equivalent to removing 10.2 million cars from the road, saving 108.7 million hectares of land and contributing to poverty reduction of 15 million small farmers.