Last year more GMOs were planted than the previous year

2009/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Bioteknologia
• Nekazaritza
• Ingurumena

The GM plantations accounted for almost 10% more than the previous year, according to the US organization ISAAA. This organization is responsible for the applications of biotechnology in agriculture and publishes annually a report with the production data of GMOs around the world. The report has been funded by two European institutions: Bussolera-Branca and Ibercaja Foundation, fourth Spanish bank.

The United States is the largest producer in the world and Spain is the Spanish state. However, the difference is enormous, since in the United States GMOs occupy 62.5 million hectares and in Spain are 0.1. In addition, in Spain there is a single GM, Bt corn, the only GM authorized in Europe. In the United States, on the contrary, they plant more species than anywhere else: soy, corn, cotton, a type of rapeseed called canol, zucchini, papaya, alfalfa and sugar beet.

It is followed by Argentina, Brazil, India, Canada, China, Paraguay, South Africa... In all of them, GM plantations occupy more than a million hectares. In Europe, behind Spain, GM growing countries are the Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Slovakia. Overall, production increased by 21% over the previous year.

However, ISAAA, Egypt and Burkina Faso have highlighted the introduction of GMOs in two African countries. According to ISAAA, it is very likely that GMOs will start in neighboring countries, which is especially good, since GMOs will have great benefits for these countries. In fact, according to AAA, GMOs are beneficial for safer food production, lower environmental impact, crop growth and biodiversity conservation, among others.