Global Status of Transgenic Crops: Challenges and Opportunities

C. James    ISAAA Board of Directors. P.O. Box 427 SAV, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Global Distribution of Transgenic Crops

Between 1996 and 1998, eight countries, 5 industrial and 3 developing, have contributed to more than a fifteen fold increase in the global area of transgenic crops. Adoption rates for transgenic crops are some of the highest for new technologies by agricultural industry standards. High adoption rates reflect grower satisfaction with the products that offer significant benefits ranging from more flexible crop management, higher productivity and a safer environment through decreased use of conventional pesticides, which collectively contribute to a more sustainable agriculture. In 1998, the global area of transgenic crops increased by 16.8 million hectares to 27.8 million hectares, from 11.0 million hectares in 1997 (Table 1). Five principal transgenic crops were grown in eight countries in 1998, three of which, Spain, France and South Africa, grew transgenic crops for the first time in 1998. Data for China has not been included in the global database because only tentative estimates were available which suggest that < 100,000 hectares of transgenic crops were grown in 1998, representing < 1 % of global transgenic area, with Bt cotton being the principal crop.

Distribution by Country

The countries listed in descending order of transgenic crop area on a global basis in 1998 (Table 2) are: USA 20.5 million hectares representing 74 % of the global area, Argentina with 4.3 million hectares equivalent to 15 % of global area; Canada 2.8 million hectares representing 10 %; Australia with approximately 0.1 million hectares equivalent to 1 % and finally Mexico, Spain, France and South Africa each with < 0.1 million hectares, equivalent to less than 1 % of the global area of transgenic crops in 1998. (Table 2). The proportion of transgenic crops grown in industrial countries was 84 %, about the same as 1997 (86 %) with 16 % grown in the developing countries, with most of that area in Argentina, and the balance in Mexico and South Africa. As in 1997, the largest increase in transgenic crops in 1998 occurred in the USA (12.4 million hectares) where there was a 2.5 fold increase, followed by Argentina (2.9 million hectares) with a 3.0 fold increase, and Canada (1.5 million hectares) with a 2.1 fold increase. USA continued to be the principal grower of transgenic crops in 1998 and its share of global area was the same (74 %) in 1997 and 1998. Argentina’s transgenic crop area increase was the largest relative change, increasing 3.0 fold from 1.4 million hectares in 1997 to 4.3 million hectares in 1998; thus Argentina’s global share of transgenic crop area increased from 13 % of global area in 1997 to 15 % in 1998. Canada’s share of global transgenic crop area decreased marginally from 12 % in 1997 to 10 % of global area in 1998.

Distribution by Crop and Trait

The five principal transgenic crops grown in 1998 (Table 3) were, in descending order of area, soybean, com/maize, cotton, canola/rapeseed, and potato. Transgenic soybean and com continued to be ranked first and second in 1998, accounting for 52 % and 30 % of global transgenic area, respectively. Cotton and canola shared third ranking position in 1998 each occupying 9 % of global area.

The relative ranking of the principal transgenic traits were the same in 1997 and 1998 (Table 4), with herbicide tolerance being by far the highest, increasing from 63 % in 1997 to 71 % in 1998. Insect resistant crops decreased from 36 % in 1997 to 28 % in 1998. Stacked genes for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance increased from < 0.1 % in 1997 (< 0.1 million hectares) to 1 % or 0.3 million hectares in 1998 with quality traits occupying less than 1 % and < 0.1 million hectares in both 1997 and 1998.

Major Changes in 1998

In reviewing the shift in global share of transgenic crops for the respective countries, crops and traits, the major changes between 1997 and 1998 were related to the following trends: growth in area of transgenic crops between 1997 and 1998 in the industrial countries continued to be significant and almost 5 times greater than in developing countries (13.9 million hectares versus 2.9 million hectares); in terms of crops, soybean contributed the most (56 %) to global growth of transgenic crops, equivalent to 9.4 million hectares between 1997 and 1998, followed by com at 30 % (5.1 million hectares), canola at 7 % (1.2 million hectares) and cotton at 6 % (1.1 million hectares). There were three noteworthy developments in terms of traits, herbicide tolerance contributed the most (77 % or 12.9 million hectares) to global growth, and insect resistance contributed 22 % equivalent to 3.7 million hectares; the multiple or stacked traits of insect resistance and herbicide tolerance increased by 0.2 million hectares in 1998 representing 1 % of global area with significant prospects for further growth in future. Of the 5 major transgenic crops grown in 8 countries in 1998, (Table 5) the two principal crops of soybean and com, represented 82 % of the global transgenic area.