During the nine-year period 1996 to 2004, the global area of biotech crops increased more than 47 fold, from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 81.0 million hectares in 2004, with an increasing proportion grown by developing countries. More than one-third (34%) of the global biotech crop area of 81 million hectares in 2004 was grown in developing countries where growth continued to be strong. It is noteworthy that the absolute growth in biotech crop area between 2003 and 2004 was, for the first time, higher for developing countries (7.2 million hectares) than for industrial countries (6.1 million hectares). The increased hectarage and impact of the five principal developing countries (China, India, Argentina, Brazil and South Africa) growing biotech crops is an important trend with implications for the future adoption and acceptance of biotech crops worldwide.

For relevant information on the global status of biotech crops, visit the Global Knowledge Center's website (http://www.isaaa.org/kc). A section on the Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops has an extensive list of resource materials including global status summaries by country, crop, trait, and adoption rates; materials for downloads; examples of biotech crops; and an extensive study on Bt cotton. Other sections include biosafety regulations, global value of GM crops, global R&D expenditures, labeling legislations, public attitudes, and position statements. 

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