Global Gm Areas

For the first time since GM crops were introduced developing countries have grown a larger area than industrialised counties.  Developing nations grew 52% of the 170 million hectares grown globally.  This is a 100 fold increase from the 1.7 million hectares grown since commercialisation in 1996.  The area grown in 2012 shows a 6% increase on the 2011 year.  Sudan and Cuba have become the latest countries to grow GM crops.  Of the 28 countries that grow GM crops the US remains the largest, with 40.8% of the total area.  The ‘big 5’ (US, China, India, Brazil and Argentina) together grew 86.8% of the total GM area in 2012.  Last year also saw a considerable increase in the number of farmers growing GM, up by 600,000 to 17.3 million.

Although the EU grew a record 129,071 hectares (up 11% since 2011) of GM maize, Poland ceased planting stating regulatory inconsistencies.   BASF has also decided to drop all applications for the cultivation of GM potatoes in the EU, citing the uncertain regulatory environment within the EU.  The German chemical company had three applications awaiting a decision – on Amadea, Fortuna and Modena – but stated that ‘continued investment cannot be justified due to uncertainty in the regulatory environment and threats of field destructions’.  The decision follows similar action by Monsanto last year.  BASF have consequently moved their operations to the US and are focusing attention on fungal resistant and higher yielding varieties.  Indications from the EU’s Institutions that it would not approve further GM varieties for cultivation have been welcomed by Green NGOs.