World GM crop plantings to decrease
Date: 18-Feb-00
Country: USA
The Worldwatch Institute said global bioengineered crop plantings, which
peaked last year at nearly 40 million hectares, could drop to about 30
million hectares this year.
"After four years of stupendous growth, farmers are expected to reduce
their planting of genetically engineered seeds by as much as 25 percent
in 2000, as spreading public resistance staggers the once high-flying
biotech industry," the Washington-based group said in a new report.
The cuts will mostly occur in the United States, Canada and Argentina,
which account for virtually all global plantings of biotech crops, the
group said.
A growing number of food manufacturers and retailers, first in Europe
and now in the United States, have said they would stop selling foods
containing genetically altered ingredients.
"If more American manufacturers hop on the bandwagon, the drop in demand
would be devastating for transgenic growers and seed producers,"
Worldwatch said.
Last month, a Reuters straw poll of 400 U.S. farmers found they planned
sharp reductions in spring plantings of genetically modified crops. The
survey indicated a decline of 24 percent for sowings of Bt corn, 22
percent for RoundUp Ready corn, and 15 percent in RoundUp Ready
soybeans.
Seed companies have said that with the U.S. midwest spring planting
season not yet underway, it is too early to determine if American
plantings of biocrops will decline this year.
The U.S. Agriculture Department said last week that grain buyers were
paying a premium of 8 to 10 cents a bushel for non-genetically modified
corn grown in Illinois.
