Emerging GMOs

2000/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Bioteknologia

In 1999, 39.9 million hectares were allocated to the breeding of transgenic land plants, 44% more than the area used in 1998. 72% of these hectares correspond to the United States, 17% to Argentina, 10% to Canada and 1% to China, respectively. It is followed by Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Spain, France, Portugal, Romania and Ukraine. Between 1992 and 1999 the number of countries collecting GM crops has increased from 1 to 12, with the main crops being soybean, corn, cotton and rapeseed. Economic data are also not precarious. In 1999, the GM plant market obtained sales profits of 23 billion dollars, 30% higher than in 1998. Since its first market launch in 1995, GM sales have multiplied by 30 and is expected to reach US$30 billion in 2000. In five years, transgenic plants will have at their disposal a market of 80 billion dollars.