Top 5 Biotech Crops Occupy 99% of Global Biotech Crop Area

In 2018, a total of 70 countries adopted biotech crops — 26 countries planted and 44 additional countries imported. Of the 31 crops approved for food, feed, and environmental release recorded at the ISAAA GM Approval Database, 13 crops have been planted in 26 countries in 2018. Five biotech crops planted in these countries occupy 99% of the global biotech crop area.

The five major biotech crops planted at more than 1 million hectares are soybeans (95.9 million hectares), followed by maize (58.9 million hectares), cotton (24.9 million hectares), canola (10.1 million hectares), and alfalfa (1.2 million hectares).

For more details about these crops, download the ISAAA infographics Top 5 Biotech Crops in the World.