Biotech Updates

Farmers in Spain to Plant Bt Maize Again

January 21, 2011

A survey by Markin for the Antama Foundation reveals that 93% of Spanish farmers who planted insect-resistant Bt maize in 2010 will do so again in the next season while 6% are undecided. The study was conducted among 200 farmers in Catalonia and Aragon last November 2010. Farmers who planted Bt maize seeds in 2010 were "very satisfied' (79%) or 'quite satisfied' (21%) with the variety. Benefits of the technology were: effective protection against the corn borer (98%); neither plants nor the cobs fall (48%); ease of cultivation (44%); high yields (41%); and higher profitability (33%).

Majority of farmers had no problem regarding GM technology although about 25% said that the main problem met was the need to maintain plots of non-GM maize. All of the respondents were able to sell their crops.

The original news in Spanish is available at http://fundacion-antama.org/el-93-de-los-agricultores-espanoles-que-sembraron-transgenicos-en-2010-lo-volvera-a-hacer-en-2011/.