ISAAA
Briefs No. 32-2004: Executive Summary
Global
Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2004
Benefits from Biotech Crops
- The
experience of the first nine years, 1996 to 2004, during which a cumulative
total of over 385 million hectares
(951 million acres,
equivalent to 40% of the total land area of the USA or China) of biotech
crops were planted globally in 22 countries, has met the expectations
of millions of large and small farmers in both industrial and developing
countries. Biotech crops are also delivering benefits to consumers and
society at large, through more affordable food, feed and fiber that require
less pesticides and hence a more sustainable environment. The global
value of total crop production from biotech crops in 2003 was estimated
at $44 billion. Net economic benefits to producers from biotech crops
in the USA in 2003 were estimated at $1.9 billion whilst gains in Argentina
for the 2001/02 season were $1.7 billion. China has projected potential
gains of $5 billion in 2010, $1 billion from Bt cotton and $4 billion
from Bt rice, expected to be approved in the near term. A global study
by Australian economists, on biotech grains, oil seeds, fruit and vegetables,
projects a global potential gain of $210 billion by 2015; the projection
is based on full adoption with 10% productivity gains in high and middle
income countries, and 20% in low income countries. The 2004 data are
consistent with previous experience confirming that commercialized biotech
crops continue to deliver significant economic, environmental, health
and social benefits to both small and large farmers in developing and
industrial countries. The number of farmers benefiting from biotech crops
continued to grow to reach 8.25 million in 2004, up from 7 million in
2003. Notably, 90% of these 8.25 million farmers benefiting from biotech
crops in 2004, were resource-poor farmers planting Bt cotton, whose increased
incomes have contributed to the alleviation of poverty. These included
7 million resource-poor farmers in all the cotton growing provinces of
China, an estimated 300,000 small farmers in India, and subsistence farmers
in the Makhathini Flats in KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa, and
in the other eight developing countries where biotech crops were planted
in 2004.
| ARGENTINA
Biotech Soybean |
|
Population:
38m
%
employed in agriculture:
1%
Agriculture as % of GDP:
11%
Area under biotech crops:
16.2 million hectares |
|
Crop
|
National
Hectarage
'000 ha
|
Biotech
Hectarage
'000 ha
|
Biotech
% of Total Area Planted
|
Soybean |
14,750 |
14,500 |
98 |
Maize |
3,000 |
1,700 |
55 |
Cotton
|
100-125ha
|
25
|
20-25%
|
| BRAZIL
Biotech Soybean |
|
|
Population: 175m
% employed in agriculture: 21%
Agriculture as % of GDP: 9%
Area under biotech crops: 5 million hectares
|
Crop
|
National
Hectarage
'000 ha
|
Biotech
Hectarage
'000 ha
|
Biotech
% of Total Area Planted
|
Soybean
|
23,000
|
5,000
|
22
|
|
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