[MPWG] GM PLANTED CROPLAND

[Patricia_Ford at fws.gov]

GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPLAND IN DEVELOPING NATIONS GROWS BY A QUARTER

JAN. 13, 2006 - THE AREA IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THAT IS PLANTED
WITH GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPS INCREASED BY NEARLY A QUARTER
BETWEEN 2004 AND 2005.  BRAZIL SAW THE LARGEST INCREASE AND NOW
ACCOUNTS FOR TEN PER CENT OF GLOBAL GM CROP PRODUCTION.  THE FIGURES
ARE IN THE LATEST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICE FOR THE
ACQUISITION OF AGRI-BIOTECH APPLICATIONS (ISAAA), RELEASED ON 11
JANUARY.  THE REPORT SAYS THAT IN 2005, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE GLOBAL AREA PLANTED WITH GM
CROPS. AND BETWEEN 2004 AND 2005, GROWTH IN GM CROPLAND WAS
SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER IN THESE COUNTRIES THAN IN INDUSTRIALIZED ONES
(23 PER CENT, COMPARED TO JUST FIVE PER CENT).

BRAZIL NOW HAS THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST AREA PLANTED WITH GM
SEEDS, BEHIND ONLY THE UNITED STATES AND ARGENTINA. ACCORDING TO
PRESS REPORTS, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 90 MILLION HECTARES OF GM CROPS
IN 21 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, OF WHICH 9.4 MILLION ARE LOCATED
IN BRAZIL. BRAZIL INCREASED ITS GM CROP AREA BY 11 PERCENT SINCE
2004, GOING FROM FOURTH TO THIRD LARGEST PLANTER.

SOURCE - PUBLIC AFFAIRS US EMBASSY BRASILIA