Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012

ISAAA Brief 44-2012

http://www.isaaa.org/purchasepublications/itemdescription.asp?ItemType=BRIEFS&Control=IB044-2012

Description: For the first time since the introduction of biotech/GM crops almost two decades ago, developing countries have grown more hectares of biotech crops than industrialized countries, contributing to food security and further alleviating poverty in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Author: Clive James

Published by: ISAAA

Copyright: ISAAA

Correct citation: James, Clive. 2012. Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012. ISAAA Brief No. 44. ISAAA: Ithaca, NY.

ISBN: 978-1-892456-53-2

ISAAA Brief 44-2012: Contents

Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012

List of Tables and Figures
Highlights
Executive Summary: A separate supplement to this Brief and accessible at http://www.isaaa.org
Introduction
Global Area of Biotech Crops in 2012
Distribution of Biotech Crops in Industrial and Developing Countries
Distribution of Biotech Crops by Country

USA
Brazil
Argentina
Canada
India
China
Paraguay
South Africa
Pakistan
Uruguay
Bolivia
Philippines
Australia
Burkina Faso
Myanmar
Mexico
Spain
Chile
Colombia
Honduras
Sudan
Portugal
Czech Republic
Cuba
Egypt
Costa Rica
Romania
Slovakia
Poland
European Union
Africa

Distribution of Biotech Crops, by Crop

Biotech Soybean
Biotech Maize
Biotech Cotton
Biotech Canola
Biotech Alfalfa
Other Biotech Crops

Distribution of Biotech Crops, by Trait
Dominant Biotech Crops in 2012
Global Adoption of Biotech Soybean, Maize, Cotton, Canola
The Global Value of the Biotech Crop Market
Global Status of Regulatory Approvals
Drought – The Most Important Constraint To Crop Productivity Globally – A Historical Perspective 
Progress in Achieving and Delivering Drought Tolerance in Maize — an Update
Future Prospects, 2013 to 2015, the MDG year 
Closing Comments
Acknowledgments
References
Appendices

Appendix 1:    Global Crop Protection Market
Appendix 2:    Useful Tables and Charts on the International Seed Trade
Appendix 3:    Deployment of Approved Bt Cotton Events/Hybrids/Variety by Companies/Institutions in India
Appendix 4:    Listing of Events, Bt Cotton Variety and Hybrids in India

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ISAAA Brief 44-2012: Executive Summary

Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012

Biotech Crop hectares increased by an unprecedented 100-fold,
from 1.7 million hectares in 1996, to 170 million hectares in 2012.

Introduction

This Executive Summary focuses on the 2012 biotech crop highlights, which are presented and discussed in detail in ISAAA Brief 44, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012, and dedicated to the 1 billion poor and hungry people and their survival.

Biotech crops increase in 2012 for the 17th consecutive year

A record 170.3 million hectares of biotech crops were grown globally in 2012, at an annual growth rate of 6%, up 10.3 million from 160 million hectares in 2011. 2012 was the 17th year of commercialization of biotech crops, 1996-2012, when growth continued after a remarkable 16 consecutive years of increases.

Biotech crops fastest adopted crop technology

2012 marked an unprecedented 100-fold increase in biotech crop hectarage from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 170 million hectares in 2012 – this makes biotech crops the fastest adopted crop technology in recent history – the reason – it delivers benefits.

Millions of farmers elect to adopt biotech crops due to benefits they offer

In the period 1996 to 2012, millions of farmers in ~30 countries worldwide, adopted biotech crops at unprecedented rates. The most compelling and credible testimony to biotech crops is that during the 17 year period 1996 to 2012, millions of farmers in ~30 countries worldwide, elected to make more than 100 million independent decisions to plant and replant an accumulated hectarage of more than 1.5 billion hectares – an area 50% larger than the total land mass of the US or China – there is one principal and overwhelming reason that underpins the trust and confidence of risk-averse farmers in biotechnology – biotech crops deliver substantial, and sustainable, socio-economic and environmental benefits. The 2011 study conducted in Europe confirmed that biotech crops are safe.

28 countries grow biotech crops with the top ten each growing more than 1 million hectares

Of the 28 countries which planted biotech crops in 2012, 20 were developing and 8 were industrial countries. This compares with 19 developing and 10 industrial in 2011. Thus there are three times as many developing countries growing biotech crops as there are industrial countries. See a listing of countries and hectarages in Table 1 and Figure 1. The top 10 countries each grew more than 1 million hectares providing a broad-based worldwide foundation for diversified growth in the future; in fact, the top nine each grew more than 2 million hectares. More than half the world’s population, 60% or ~4 billion people, live in the 28 countries planting biotech crops.

Two new countries plant biotech crops and three countries did not offer biotech seed for purchase by farmers.

Two new countries, Sudan (Bt cotton) and Cuba (Bt maize) planted biotech crops for the first time in 2012.  Germany and Sweden could not plant the biotech potato, Amflora because it ceased to be marketed; Poland discontinued planting Bt maize because of regulation inconsistencies in the interpretation of the law on planting approval between the EU and Poland; the EU maintains that all necessary approvals are already in place for planting whereas Poland does not. In 2012, Sudan became the fourth country in Africa, after South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt, to commercialize a biotech crop – biotech Bt cotton. A total of 20,000 hectares were planted in both rainfed areas and irrigated schemes. About 10,000 farmers were the initial beneficiaries who have an average of about 1-2.5 hectares of land. In a landmark event Cuba joined the group of countries planting biotech crops in 2012. For the first time, farmers in Cuba grew 3,000 hectares of hybrid Bt maize in a “regulated commercialization” initiative in which farmers seek permission to grow biotech maize commercially. The initiative is part of an ecologically sustainable pesticide-free program featuring biotech maize hybrids and mycorrhizal additives. The Bt maize, with resistance to the major pest, fall armyworm, was developed by the Havana-based Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB).

Over 17 million farmers benefit from biotech crops

In 2012, a record 17.3 million farmers, up 0.6 million from 2011, grew biotech crops – notably, over 90%, or over 15 million, were small resource-poor farmers in developing countries. Farmers are the masters of risk aversion and in 2012, 7.2 million small farmers in China and another 7.2 million small farmers in India, collectively planted a record ~15.0 million hectares of biotech crops. Bt cotton increased the income of farmers significantly by up to US$250 per hectare and also halved the number of insecticide sprays, thus reducing farmer exposure to pesticides.

Developing countries plant more biotech crops than industrial countries

For the first time, developing countries grew more, 52% of global biotech crops in 2012 than industrial countries at 48%. This is contrary to the prediction of critics who, prior to the commercialization of the technology in 1996, prematurely declared that biotech crops were only for industrial countries and would never be accepted and adopted by developing countries. In 2012, the growth rate for biotech crops was at least three times as fast and five times as large in developing countries, at 11% or 8.7 million hectares, versus 3% or 1.6 million hectares in industrial countries. During the period 1996-2011 cumulative economic benefits were high in developing countries at US$49.6 billion compared to US$48.6 billion generated by industrial countries. For 2011 alone, economic benefits for developing countries were higher at US$10.1 billion compared with US$9.6 billion for developed countries for a total of US$19.7 billion.

Stacked traits occupied ~25% of the global 170 million hectares

Stacked traits are an important feature of biotech crops – 13 countries planted biotech crops with two or more traits in 2012. Encouragingly, 10 were developing countries. Around 43.7 million hectares equivalent to 26% of the 170 million hectares were stacked in 2012, up from 42.2 million hectares or 26% of the 160 million hectares in 2011. 

The 5 lead biotech developing countries are China, India, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa – they grew 46% of global biotech crops, and have ~40% of world population

The five lead developing countries in biotech crops are China and India in Asia, Brazil and Argentina in Latin America, and South Africa on the continent of Africa, collectively grew 78.2 million hectares (46% of global) and together represent ~40% of the global population of 7 billion, which could reach 10.1 billion by 2100. Remarkably, Africa alone could escalate from 1 billion today (~15% of global) to a possible high of 3.6 billion (~35% of global) by the end of this century in 2100 – global food security, exacerbated by high and unaffordable food prices, is a formidable challenge to which biotech crops can contribute but are not a panacea.

Brazil, the engine of biotech crop growth

Brazil ranks second only to the USA in biotech crop hectarage in the world, with 36.6 million hectares, and emerging as a global leader in biotech crops. For the fourth consecutive year, Brazil was the engine of growth globally in 2012, increasing its hectarage of biotech crops more than any other country in the world – a record 6.3 million hectare increase, equivalent to an impressive year-over-year increase of 21%. Brazil grows 21% of the global hectarage of 170 million hectares and is consolidating its position by consistently closing the gap with the US. A fast track approval system allows Brazil to approve events in a timely manner. Brazil has already approved the first stacked soybean with insect resistance and herbicide tolerance for commercialization in 2013. Notably, EMBRAPA, a public sector institution, with an annual budget of ~US$1 billion, gained approval to commercialize a home-grown biotech virus resistant bean, (rice and beans are the staples of Latin America) developed entirely with its own resources, thus demonstrating its impressive technical capacity to develop, deliver and deploy a new state-of-the art biotech crop.

USA maintains leadership role and Canada grows record canola hectarage

The US continued to be the lead producer of biotech crops globally with 69.5 million hectares, with an average adoption rate of ~90% across all biotech crops. Canada grew a record 8.4 million hectares of biotech canola at a record adoption rate of 97.5%.

India and China continue to grow more Bt cotton  

India cultivated a record 10.8 million hectares of Bt cotton with an adoption rate of 93%, whilst 7.2 million small resource poor farmers in China grew 4.0 million hectares of Bt cotton with an adoption rate of 80%, cultivating on average, 0.5 hectare per farmer. India enhanced farm income from Bt cotton by US$12.6 billion in the period 2002 to 2011 and US$3.2 billion in 2011 alone.

Progress in Africa

Africa continued to make progress with South Africa increasing its biotech area by a record 0.6 million hectares to reach 2.9 million hectares; Sudan joined South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt, to bring the total number of African biotech countries to four. In South Africa the hectarage occupied by biotech crops in 2012 continued to increase for the 15th consecutive season, driven mainly by increased hectarage under maize and soybeans. The estimated total biotech crop area in 2012 was 2.9 million hectares, compared with 2.3 million hectares in 2011/2012, an impressive 26% annual increase in area.

Five EU countries planted a record 129,071 hectares of biotech Bt maize, up 13% from 2011. Spain was by far the largest adopter planting 90% of the total Bt maize hectarage in the EU.

Five EU countries (Spain, Portugal, Czechia, Slovakia and Romania) planted a record 129,071 hectares of biotech Bt maize, a substantial 13% increase over 2011, with Spain growing 90%, equivalent to 116,307 hectares of the total Bt maize hectarage in the EU. Spain had a record adoption rate of 30%. The planned approval in 2014, subject to clearance of a new biotech potato named “Fortuna” resistant to late blight, (the most important disease of potatoes), is potentially an important product, that can meet EU policy and environmental needs to make potato production more sustainable by reducing heavy fungicide applications and decreasing production losses estimated at up to US$1.5 billion annually in the EU alone, and US$7.5 billon worldwide.

Biotech crops contribution to Food Security, Sustainability and Climate Change

From 1996 to 2011, biotech crops contributed to Food Security, Sustainability and Climate Change by: increasing crop production valued at US$98.2 billion; providing a better environment, by saving 473 million kg a.i. of pesticides; in 2011 alone reducing CO2 emissions by 23.1 billion kg, equivalent to taking 10.2 million cars off the road; conserving biodiversity by saving 108.7 million hectares of land; and helped alleviate poverty by helping >15.0 million small farmers, and their families totalling >50 million people,  who are some of the poorest people in the world. Biotech crops are essential but are not a panacea and adherence to good farming practices such as rotations and resistance management, are a must for biotech crops as they are for conventional crops. 

Contribution of biotech crops to Sustainability

Biotech crops are contributing to sustainability in the following five ways:

•     Contributing to food, feed and fiber security and self sufficiency, including more affordable food, by increasing productivity and economic benefits sustainably at the farmer level

      Economic gains at the farm level of ~US$98.2 billion were generated globally by biotech crops during the sixteen year period 1996 to 2011, of which 51% were due to reduced production costs (less ploughing, fewer pesticide sprays and less labor) and 49% due to substantial yield gains of 328 million tons. The corresponding figures for 2011 alone was 78% of the total gain due to increased yield (equivalent to 50.2 million tons), and 22% due to lower cost of production (Brookes and Barfoot, 2013, Forthcoming).

•     Conserving biodiversity, biotech crops are a land saving technology

      Biotech crops are a land-saving technology, capable of higher productivity on the current 1.5 billion hectares of arable land, and thereby can help preclude deforestation and protect biodiversity in forests and in other in-situ biodiversity sanctuaries. Approximately 13 million hectares of biodiversity – rich tropical forests, are lost in developing countries annually. If the 328 million tons of additional food, feed and fiber produced by biotech crops during the period 1996 to 2011 had not been produced by biotech crops, an additional 108.7 million hectares (Brookes and Barfoot, 2013, Forthcoming) of conventional crops would have been required to produce the same tonnage. Some of the additional 108.7 million hectares would probably have required fragile marginal lands, not suitable for crop production, to be ploughed, and for tropical forest, rich in biodiversity, to be felled to make way for slash and burn agriculture in developing countries, thereby destroying biodiversity.

•     Contributing to the alleviation of poverty and hunger

      To-date, biotech cotton in developing countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bolivia, Burkina Faso and South Africa have already made a significant contribution to the income of >15 million small resource-poor farmers in 2012; this can be enhanced significantly in the remaining 3 years of the second decade of commercialization, 2013 to 2015 principally with biotech cotton and maize.

•     Reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint

      Conventional agriculture has impacted significantly on the environment, and biotechnology can be used to reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture. Progress to-date includes: a significant reduction in pesticides; saving on fossil fuels; decreasing CO2 emissions through no/less ploughing; and conserving soil and moisture by optimizing the practice of no till through application of herbicide tolerance. The accumulative reduction in pesticides for the period 1996 to 2011 was estimated at 473 million kilograms (kgs) of active ingredient (a.i.), a saving of 8.9% in pesticides, which is equivalent to an 18.3% reduction in the associated environmental impact of pesticide use on these crops, as measured by the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) – a composite measure based on the various factors contributing to the net environmental impact of an individual active ingredient. The corresponding data for 2011 alone was a reduction of 37 million kgs a.i. (equivalent to a saving of 8.5% in pesticides) and a reduction of 22.8% in EIQ (Brookes and Barfoot, 2013, Forthcoming).

      Increasing efficiency of water usage will have a major impact on conservation and availability of water globally. Seventy percent of fresh water is currently used by agriculture globally, and this is obviously not sustainable in the future as the population increases by almost 30% to over 9 billion by 2050. The first biotech maize hybrids with a degree of drought tolerance are expected to be commercialized by 2013 in the USA, and the first tropical drought tolerant biotech maize is expected by ~2017 for sub-Saharan Africa. Drought tolerance is expected to have a major impact on more sustainable cropping systems worldwide, particularly in developing countries, where drought is more prevalent and severe than industrial countries.

•     Helping mitigate climate change and reducing greenhouse gases

      The important and urgent concerns about the environment have implications for biotech crops, which contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gases and help mitigate climate change in two principal ways. First, permanent savings in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through reduced use of fossil-based fuels, associated with fewer insecticide and herbicide sprays; in 2011, this was an estimated saving of 1.9 billion kg of CO2, equivalent to reducing the number of cars on the roads by 0.8 million. Secondly, additional savings from conservation tillage (need for less or no ploughing facilitated by herbicide tolerant biotech crops) for biotech food, feed and fiber crops, led to an additional soil carbon sequestration equivalent in 2011 to 21.1 billion kg of CO2, or removing 9.4 million cars off the road. Thus in 2011, the combined permanent and additional savings through sequestration was equivalent to a saving of 23 billion kg of CO2 or removing 10.2 million cars from the road (Brookes and Barfoot, 2013, Forthcoming). 

      Droughts, floods, and temperature changes are predicted to become more prevalent and more severe as we face the new challenges associated with climate change, and hence, there will be a need for faster crop improvement programs to develop varieties and hybrids that are well adapted to more rapid changes in climatic conditions. Several biotech crop tools, including tissue culture, diagnostics, genomics, molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) and biotech crops can be used collectively for ‘speeding the breeding’ and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Biotech crops are already contributing to reducing CO2 emissions by precluding the need for ploughing a significant portion of cropped land, conserving soil, and particularly moisture, and reducing pesticide spraying as well as sequestering CO2.

In summary, collectively the above five thrusts have already demonstrated the capacity of biotech crops to contribute to sustainability in a significant manner and for mitigating the formidable challenges associated with climate change and global warming; and the potential for the future is enormous. Biotech crops can increase productivity and income significantly, and hence, can serve as an engine of rural economic growth that can contribute to the alleviation of poverty for the world’s small and resource-poor farmers.

Regulation of biotech crops

The lack of appropriate, science-based and cost/time-effective regulatory systems continues to be the major constraint to adoption. Responsible, rigorous but not onerous, regulation is needed for small and poor developing countries. It is noteworthy, that on 6 November 2012, in California, USA, voters defeated Proposition 37, the proposed state petition on “Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food Initiative” – the final result was No 53.7% and Yes 46.3%.

Status of approved events for biotech crops

While 28 countries planted commercialized biotech crops in 2012, an additional 31 countries totalling 59 have granted regulatory approvals for biotech crops for import, food and feed use and for release into the environment since 1996. A total of 2,497 regulatory approvals involving 25 GM crops and 319 GM events have been issued by competent authorities in 59 countries, of which 1,129 are for food use (direct use or processing), 813 are for feed use (direct use or processing) and 555 are for planting or release into the environment. Of the 59 countries with regulatory approvals, USA has the most number of events approved (196), followed by Japan (182), Canada (131), Mexico (122), Australia (92), South Korea (86), New Zealand (81), European Union (67 including approvals that have expired or under renewal process), Philippines (64), Taiwan (52) and South Africa (49). Maize has the most number of approved events (121 events in 23 countries), followed by cotton (48 events in 19 countries), potato (31 events in 10 countries), canola (30 events in 12 countries) and soybean (22 events in 24 countries). The event that has received the most number of regulatory approvals is the herbicide tolerant maize event NK603 (50 approvals in 22 countries + EU-27), followed by the herbicide tolerant soybean event GTS-40-3-2 (48 approvals in 24 countries + EU-27), insect resistant maize event MON810 (47 approvals in 22 countries + EU-27), insect resistant maize event Bt11 (43 approvals in 20 countries + EU-27), insect resistant cotton event MON531 (36 approvals in 17 countries + EU-27) and insect resistant cotton event MON1445 (31 approvals in 14 countries + EU-27).

Global value of biotech seed alone was ~US$15 billion in 2012

Global value of biotech seed alone was ~US$15 billion in 2012. A 2011 study estimated that the cost of discovery, development and authorization of a new biotech crop/trait is ~US$135 million. In 2012, the global market value of biotech crops, estimated by Cropnosis, was US$14.84 billion, (up from US$13.35 billion in 2011); this represents 23% of the US$64.62 billion global crop protection market in 2012, and 35% of the ~US$34 billion commercial seed market. The estimated global farm-gate revenues of the harvested commercial “end product” (the biotech grain and other harvested products) is more than ten times greater than the value of the biotech seed alone.

Future Prospects

Future prospects up to the MDG year of 2015 and beyond look encouraging. Several new developing countries are expected to plant biotech crops before 2015 led by Asia, and there is cautious optimism that Africa will be well-represented: the first biotech based drought tolerant maize planned for release in North America in 2013 and in Africa by ~2017; the first stacked soybean tolerant to herbicide and insect resistant will be planted in Brazil in 2013; subject to regulatory approval, Golden Rice could be released in the Philippines in 2013/2014; drought tolerant sugarcane is a possible candidate in Indonesia, and biotech maize in China with a potential of ~30 million hectares and for the future biotech rice which has an enormous potential to benefit up to 1 billion poor people in rice households in Asia alone. Biotech crops, whilst not a panacea, have the potential to make a substantial contribution to the 2015 MDG goal of cutting poverty in half, by optimizing crop productivity, which can be expedited by public-private sector partnerships, such as the WEMA project, supported in poor developing countries by the new generation of philanthropic foundations, such as the Gates and Buffet foundations. Observers are cautiously optimistic about the future with more modest annual gains predicted because of the already high rate of adoption in all the principal crops in mature markets in both developing and industrial countries.

Drought in the USA in 2012

The worst drought in 50 years impacted on crop production in the USA in 2012. The drought was estimated to have affected 26 of the 52 states, and covered at least 55% of the land area of the USA, which is almost 1 billion hectares. In comparison, the more severe Dust Bowl drought of 1934 covered almost 80% of the US land area. By the end of July 2012, drought and extreme heat had affected more than 1,000 counties in 29 states and they were designated natural disaster counties by USDA. As of July 2012, compared with the average year, 38% of the US maize crop had already been rated as poor and similarly 30% of soybean was rated poor. Given that the maize crop is the most important in the US valued at US$76.5 billion in 2011, losses for 2012 are expected to be substantial. The drought in Texas alone in 2011 was estimated to have cost US$7.6 billion and final losses for the drought of 2012 are likely to be much higher. Since US maize and US soybean exports represent 53% and 43% of global maize and soybean exports, respectively, the impact of the 2012 drought on international prices are likely to be significant. There is some comfort in the fact that global rice and wheat supplies were relatively plentiful in 2012 and the hope is that they will preclude a broad escalation of commodity prices as was the case in mid-2008. Maize is more vulnerable than soybean to price escalation because the shortfall in maize production could be exacerbated by the demand for maize for biofuel production in the US.

Some preliminary advance estimates in July 2012 suggested that losses in the US soybean and maize area affected by drought could be as high as 30%, but reliable estimates will not be available until later. Some of the most recent estimates indicate that compared with 2011 yields the average for 2012 will be 21% less for maize and 12% less for soybeans. Preliminary estimates by USDA suggested that the 2012 drought would result in increases in food prices of 3 to 4% in 2013, with beef prices increasing by 4 to 5%. 

First biotech drought tolerant maize to be deployed in the US in 2013

Drought tolerance conferred through biotech crops is viewed as the most important trait that will be commercialized in the second decade of commercialization, 2006 to 2015, and beyond, because it is, by far, the single most important constraint to increased productivity for crops worldwide. The first and most advanced drought tolerant biotech/transgenic maize, will be launched commercially by Monsanto in the USA in 2013. Notably, the same technology, has been donated by the technology developers, Monsanto and BASF, to a Private/Public sector partnership (WEMA) which hopes to release the first biotech drought tolerant maize as early as 2017 in sub-Saharan Africa where the need for drought tolerance is greatest.

Global review of drought tolerance

Given the pivotal importance of drought tolerance, ISAAA invited Dr. Greg O. Edmeades, former leader of the maize drought program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), to contribute a timely global overview on the status of drought tolerance in maize, in both conventional and biotech approaches, in the private and public sector, and to discuss future prospects in the near, mid and long term. The contribution by Dr. Edmeades, “Progress in Achieving and Delivering Drought Tolerance in Maize — An Update”, supported by key references, is included as a chapter in the full version of Brief 44, as well as an introductory chapter on drought to highlight the enormous global importance of the drought tolerance trait, which virtually no crop or farmer in the world can afford to be without.

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ISAAA Brief 44-2012: Highlights

Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012
By Clive James, Founder and Chair of ISAAA

Dedicated by the author to the 1 billion poor and hungry people, and their survival

Biotech Crop hectares increased by an unprecedented 100-fold from
1.7 million hectares in 1996, to 170 million hectares in 2012

A record 170.3 million hectares of biotech crops were grown globally in 2012, at an annual growth rate of 6%, up 10.3 million from 160 million hectares in 2011.

2012 marked an unprecedented 100-fold increase in biotech crop hectarage from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 170 million hectares in 2012 – this  makes biotech crops the fastest adopted crop technology in recent history – the reason – they deliver benefits.

In the period 1996 to 2012, millions of farmers in ~30 countries worldwide, made more than 100 million independent decisions to plant an accumulated hectarage of more than 1.5 billion hectares – 50% more than the land mass of the US or China; this demonstrates the trust and confidence of millions of risk-averse farmers in biotech crops which deliver sustainable and substantial, socioeconomic and environmental benefits.

Two new countries, Sudan (Bt cotton) and Cuba (Bt maize) planted for the first time in 2012. Germany and Sweden could not plant the potato “Amflora” because it ceased to be marketed; Poland discontinued planting Bt maize because of regulation constraints.

Of the 28 countries which planted biotech crops in 2012, 20 were developing and 8 were industrial countries; this compares with 19 developing and 10 industrial in 2011.  

In 2012, a record 17.3 million farmers, up 0.6 million from 2011, grew biotech crops – remarkably over 90%, or over 15 million, were small resource-poor farmers in developing countries. Farmers are the masters of risk aversion and in 2012, a record 7.2 million small farmers in China and another 7.2 million in India, elected to plant almost 15 million hectares of Bt cotton, because of the significant benefits it offers. 

For the first time, developing countries grew more, 52%, of global biotech crops in 2012 than industrial countries at 48%. In 2012, growth rate for biotech crops was at least three times as fast, and five times as large in developing countries, at 11% or 8.7 million hectares, versus 3% or 1.6 million hectares in industrial countries.  

Stacked traits are an important feature – 13 countries planted biotech crops with two or more traits in 2012, and encouragingly, 10 of the 13 were developing countries – 43.7 million hectares, or more than a quarter, of the 170 million hectares were stacked in 2012.

Brazil, for the fourth consecutive year, was the engine of growth globally, increasing its hectarage of biotech crops more than any other country – an impressive record increase of 6.3 million hectares, up 21% from 2011, reaching 36.6 million hectares.

The US continued to be the lead country with 69.5 million hectares, with an average 90% adoption across all crops. Impact of US 2012 drought for maize was 21% loss in productivity and in soybean,12%. Canada had a record 8.4 million hectares of canola at a record 97.5% adoption.     

India grew a record 10.8 million hectares of Bt cotton with an adoption rate of 93%, whilst 7.2 million small resource-poor farmers in China grew 4.0 million hectares of Bt cotton with an adoption rate of 80%, cultivating on average 0.5 hectare per farmer. India enhanced farm income from Bt cotton by US$12.6 billion in the period 2002 to 2011 and US$3.2 billion in 2011 alone.     

Africa continued to make progress with South Africa increasing its biotech area by a record 0.6 million hectares to reach 2.9 million hectares; Sudan joined South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt, to bring the total number of African biotech countries to four. 

Five EU countries planted a record 129,071 hectares of biotech Bt maize, up 13% from 2011. Spain led the EU with 116,307 hectares of Bt maize, up 20% from 2011.

From 1996 to 2011, biotech crops contributed to Food Security, Sustainability and Climate Change by: increasing crop production valued at US$98.2 billion; providing a better environment, by saving 473 million kg a.i. of pesticides; in 2011 alone reducing CO2 emissions by 23.1 billion kg, equivalent to taking 10.2 million cars off the road; conserving biodiversity by saving 108.7 million hectares of land; and helped alleviate poverty by helping >15.0 million small farmers and their families totalling >50 million people, who are some of the poorest people in the world. Biotech crops are essential but are not a panacea and adherence to good farming practices such as rotations and resistance management, are a must for biotech crops as they are for conventional crops.

The lack of appropriate, science-based and cost/time-effective regulatory systems continue to be the major constraint to adoption. Responsible, rigorous but not onerous, regulation is needed for small and poor developing countries.

Global value of biotech seed alone was valued at ~US$15 billion in 2012.

Future Prospects – cautiously optimistic with more modest annual gains predicted because of the already high rate of adoption in all the principal crops in mature markets in both developing and industrial countries.

Climate Change
Why Are Food Prices Rising? Check the Weather

출처 : 블룸버그 비즈니스 위크
By Ira Sager on January 10, 2013
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-10/why-are-food-prices-rising-check-the-weather#r=nav-f-story

기후변화는 어떻게 식량 가격 상승에 영향을 미치나?

번역 : http://newspeppermint.com/

한국, 수입 옥수수 75%를 사료로… 가격 뛰면 소·닭·돼지 가격도 올라
권재현 기자 jaynews@kyunghyang.com

출처 : 경향신문 입력 : 2012-08-22 22:23:24
http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201208222223245&code=920501
 
 
옥수수 세계 최대 생산지인 미국의 옥수수 가격이 뛰면 국내 시장도 몸살을 앓는다.

22일 한국농촌경제연구원 자료를 보면 한국은 일본에 이어 세계 2위의 옥수수 수입국이다. 2010년 기준으로 국내 총 곡물 수입량 1571만2000t의 57.7%인 905만9000t을 수입했다. 한국의 옥수수 곡물자급률이 0.8%로 미미하기 때문이다. 국내 생산량은 2011년 기준으로 연간 7만4000t으로 아시아 최하위권에 머물러 있다. 국내 사용물량의 대부분을 수입한다고 해도 과언이 아니다.

미국 옥수수 수출 판매가격은 농가와 곡물상, 중간거래상, 수요자들이 모여 작황과 수요량 등을 반영해 만들어지는 시카고선물거래소 시세와 농가에서 수출항구까지 물량을 이동하는 데 드는 운반비(베이시스)를 종합해 결정된다. 여기에 걸프만을 거쳐 해당 국가로 운송되는 데 들어가는 선박비용도 국제유가 상황을 고려해 가격 결정에 영향을 미친다.

한국전분당협회 관계자는 “가공식품용 옥수수의 경우 업계 전체로 볼 때 한 달 평균 17만t 정도는 꾸준히 수입해야 공장을 정상적으로 가동할 수 있다”며 “가격이 급등한 지금 구입하면 국내로 들어오는 데 걸리는 기간인 3~5개월 후부터는 국내 식료품업체들이 가격 상승 압력을 받을 수밖에 없다”고 말했다.

한국에 수입되는 옥수수 양의 75% 이상은 가축 사료로 사용된다. 농촌진흥청 국립식량과학원 백성범 농업연구관은 “옥수수가 국내에서는 사료로 대부분 사용되기 때문에 옥수수 가격이 폭등하면 돼지고기, 소고기, 닭고기 가격도 덩달아 오른다”고 말했다. 또 옥수수는 어린이들이 즐겨 찾는 스낵, 청량음료, 주스 등을 만드는 데도 사용돼 이들 제품의 가격을 인상시키는 작용을 한다. 한국사료협회는 지난 6월 중순 이후 급등한 옥수수 가격 때문에 당분간 미국과 옥수수 수입 계약을 맺지 않기로 했다.

가뭄에 따른 가격 폭등을 예상하고 6월 초순 국내 민간 사료배합 회사들과 함께 옥수수를 대량으로 구입해 당장 물량 부족 현상이 심각하지 않다고 판단한 것이다. 문제는 옥수수 가격이 계속해서 뛰거나 지금과 같은 급등세가 고착화하는 경우다.

사료협회 관계자는 “옥수수 가격이 내려가지 않고 계속 오를 경우 어쩔 수 없이 미국에서 수입해야 한다”며 “이럴 경우 길게는 6개월의 시차를 고려한다 하더라도 이르면 연말, 늦어도 내년 초가 되면 또 한 차례 국내 사료배합 회사들과 농협 사료공장, 축산농가 등이 가격 상승 압박에 노출될 것”이라고 말했다.

국내에서 사료용 다음으로 많이 쓰이는 옥수수는 ‘가공식품용’ 옥수수다. 농협경제연구소와 관세청 통계에 따르면 2010년 한 해 가공식품용으로 소비된 옥수수 양은 전체 수입량 905만9000t의 21.4%에 해당하는 193만6000t이다.

가공식품용 옥수수 가격도 비슷한 운송·제조·유통과정을 거친다. 먼저 대상 등 국내 식료품업체들이 시카고선물거래소의 거래가격 수준에 맞춰 옥수수 수입 계약을 맺으면 미국 수출업체가 선적물량을 준비한다. 이때부터 선박을 이용해 국내로 들여오기까지에는 보통 6~8주가 걸린다. 선박이 운송하는 시간은 50일 정도이며 하역항에서 1주일 정도 하역·통관 작업을 거친다. 업체들이 제품 수급을 원활하게 하기 위해 보유하고 있는 1개월치가량의 재고물량과 제조공정을 감안하면 실제 판매가격에 영향을 주기까지 걸리는 시간은 3~5개월쯤 된다.

한 식품업체 관계자는 “가공식품용 옥수수는 사료용 옥수수보다 재고량을 적게 유지하기 때문에 국제 곡물가격 변동에 더 민감하게 반응할 수밖에 없는 구조”라고 말했다.

식품사슬’의 정점에 오른 옥수수, 세계 곡물 파동 촉발
김보미 기자 bomi83@kyunghyang.com

출처 : 경향신문 입력 : 2012-08-22 22:23:28

http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201208222223285&code=970100

ㆍ일상을 지배하는 옥수수의 마력
ㆍ체내 탄소 생성의 69% 차지… 친환경 소재에 활용도 증가

미국발 세계 곡물 파동의 근원은 옥수수다. 그 옥수수는 슈퍼마켓 진열 상품의 75%에 영향을 미치고 있다.

하루에 세 끼 꼬박 챙겨 먹는 일상은 ‘무엇을 먹을까’ 하는 고민의 연속이다. 그러나 미국 캘리포니아대 교수이자 환경운동가인 마이클 폴란은 인간은 단지 ‘지 메이스(Zea Mays)’를 먹고 산다고 단언한다. 이는 옥수수의 학명이다. 그는 저서 <잡식동물의 딜레마>를 통해 우리가 먹는 음식이 어떤 것이든 결국은 옥수수를 먹는 것과 같다고 했다.

옥수수는 벼, 밀과 함께 세계 3대 식량 작물로 꼽힌다. 재배해 먹기 시작한 것은 500년 정도로, 다른 곡물보다는 짧다. 한국 농촌진흥청 보고서를 보면 옥수수는 전 세계 1억5900만㏊에서 연간 8억1900만t씩(2009년 기준) 생산된다. 밀(6억8600만t)과 쌀(6억8500만t)보다 20%나 많다.

옥수수는 단기간에 ‘식품사슬’ 정점에 올랐다. 이 같은 파급력은 광범위한 활용이 가능한 덕이다. 특히 대부분의 먹거리에 직간접적으로 들어간다. 미국 포브스는 최근 슈퍼마켓에 진열된 식품의 75%가 옥수수를 포함하고 있다고 보도했다. 폴란 교수도 가공식품 1500여개 중 1300개 정도에 옥수수가 들어가 이를 빼고 먹기가 힘들다고 설명했다. CNN방송의 의학 전문기자인 산제이 굽타 박사는 자신의 머리카락을 통해 실제 옥수수가 몸에 얼마나 들어갔는지 실험하기도 했는데, 그 결과 체내 탄소의 69%가 옥수수에서 생성된 것으로 확인됐다.

농진청 보고서는 ‘버릴 것이 없다’고 옥수수를 설명했다. 인간과 가축의 식량뿐 아니라 바이오에탄올로 만들어 연료로도 쓰인다. 알갱이는 속(배유)과 눈(배아), 껍질이 각각 쓰이는 용도별로 분리돼 생활 소비재 속으로 들어가고, 옥수수 속대 역시 식품과 화장품의 재료가 된다.

고과당시럽은 형태가 보이지는 않지만 옥수수가 식품 안에 들어가는 대표 사례다. 이렇게 만들어진 시럽은 요구르트와 드레싱, 버터 등의 첨가물로 쓰인다. 이 시럽에 캐러멜 착색제가 합쳐지면 콜라가 완성된다. 옥수수를 먹고 자란 소에 대한 논란이 있기는 하지만 이 소에서 짠 우유는 옥수수 덕에 비타민D가 두 배 많은 강화우유가 된다.

일반적으로 인식하지 못하는 부분에서의 옥수수 용도는 더 다양하다. 아스피린에도 옥수수가 들어간다. 반질반질한 약의 바깥면에 발라진 코팅제가 옥수수에서 추출한 셀룰로오스(CAP)인 경우가 많다. 모든 약에 쓰이는 것은 아니지만 알약이나 가루약을 담는 캡슐에도 쓰인다. 삼키기 좋게 도포를 해주고 위산에 약이 바로 닿는 것을 막아 약효를 오래 지속하는 효과도 있다고 한다.

치약에도 옥수수 성분이 있다. 치약 특유의 질감과 맛은 ‘소르비톨’이라는 성분이 결정적 역할을 한다. 이 물질은 옥수수의 포도당으로 만들어진다. 소르비톨이 들어가지 않으면 치약은 미끈거리는 비누 맛이 난다고 한다.

편지봉투나 우표에도 옥수수가 있다. 뒷면에 침이나 물을 묻히는 부분에 숨어 있다. 옥수수에서 뽑아내는 전분은 물(침)이 닿으면 끈적끈적하게 변한다. 이를 얇게 펴 발라진 부분이 끈적끈적했다 다시 마르면서 양쪽 면을 붙드는 데 활용한 것이다.

타이어를 만들 때도 옥수수를 쓴다. 완성품에 들어가는 것은 아니지만 필요한 성분이다. 성형 틀에 찍어내는 제품들은 압축 공정을 거친다. 이때 금속으로 만든 틀에 내용물이 붙지 않게 하려면 전분 가루를 뿌려줘야 한다.

옥수수 향이 나는 화장품은 없지만 향수의 주요 성분은 옥수수다. 향수는 기화점이 다른 여러 가지 식물성 알코올을 합성해 향을 만든다. 이때 쓰는 알코올을 옥수수에서 뽑아내는 것이다. 브러시나 아이섀도 등 색조 화장품에도 옥수수가 쓰인다. 샴푸, 컨디셔너에 들어가 모발 화장품이 된다.

친환경 소재로 만든 기저귀에도 옥수수가 들어간다. 아이들이 오줌을 많이 싸도 기저귀가 흠뻑 젖지 않는 것은 층층이 초흡수제가 겹쳐져 있기 때문이다. 여러 물질이 혼합된 흡수제에는 에틸렌도 들어간다. 바로 이 물질이 옥수수 녹말(콘스타치)에서 나온다.

친환경 소재를 위한 옥수수 활용은 최근 증가 추세를 보이고 있다. 캔 등의 뚜껑 부분을 보호하고 새 제품이라는 것을 표시하는 플라스틱 보호막도 옥수수로 만든다. 옥수수에서 추출한 포도당으로 플라스틱과 같은 질감을 낼 수 있게 되면서 가능해졌다. 삼성전자 등이 옥수수 휴대전화를 만들 때도 같은 방식을 활용했다.

‘미국 곡물 흉작’ 미국은 느긋, 빈국은 비상
최민영 기자 min@kyunghyang.com

출처 : 경향신문 입력 : 2012-08-22 22:13:10ㅣ수정 : 2012-08-22 23:08:51 
http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201208222213105&code=970100

ㆍ[세계 식량위기 오나](1) ‘나비효과’와 빈국
ㆍ가난한 수입의존국들, 정치 불안 이어져

세계 최대 옥수수 생산국 미국은 50여년 만의 가뭄으로 흉작이 예상되는 데도 느긋하지만 그 영향을 직접 받는 빈국들엔 비상이 걸렸다.

전 세계 옥수수의 40%를 생산하는 미국은 1995년 이래 최악의 소출을 기록할 것으로 전망된다. 미국 옥수수 재배지는 이번 가뭄으로 경작지 약 90%가 타격을 입었다. 하지만 농가 수익에는 큰 변화가 없다. 미 정부의 지원하에 부담비용 중 40%만 내면 되는 곡물보험에 대부분 가입해 손실을 보전받기 때문이다.

월스트리트저널은 미 정부와 보험회사가 약 200억달러를 농가에 지원할 것으로 최근 예상했다. 생산 곡물은 오른 값에 판매해 농가의 손해를 상쇄한다. 옥수수 가격은 지난 6월 이래 40% 이상 폭등해 21일(현지시간) 시카고상업거래소에서 12월 인도분이 부셸(27.2㎏)당 8.38달러를 나타냈다.

미국뿐만 아니라 세계 곡창지역인 러시아와 우크라이나, 카자흐스탄도 가뭄 탓에 밀 소출이 22% 감소해 곡물 수급에 악영향을 미치고 있다.

이 같은 옥수수와 밀 소출 감소는 이를 주식으로 삼는 저개발국가와 빈곤층에 치명적인 영향을 미친다. 또 곡물가 상승은 빈국에 식량구호를 해온 국제단체들의 지원 규모를 줄이는 부작용도 낳는다.

전체 밀소비량의 90%를 수입에 의존하는 중동의 빈국 예멘은 전체 인구 절반이 하루 2달러(약 2200원) 미만 소득에 의존하고 있다. 식량가격 폭등은 예멘 국민들의 생계에 직격탄이 될 수밖에 없다.

20년 전까지 식량자급이 이뤄진 남미의 과테말라는 미국과의 자유무역협정(FTA)에 따른 관세철폐와 농업투자 감소로 현재 밀 소비량 전체와 옥수수·쌀·콩 상당량을 미국에서 수입한다. 가계지출 중 식료품 비중이 66%를 차지하는 상황에서 식량가격이 폭등한다면 대부분 국민은 최소한의 필수영양섭취조차 하기 어려워진다.

미국산 옥수수 의존도가 높은 멕시코도 옥수수로 만든 주식인 토르티야 가격이 2007년 대비 올해 6월 현재 52% 치솟았다. 게다가 올해 가뭄으로 경작지 40%가 타격을 입고 자체 공급량도 줄어 곡물가 충격에 더 많이 노출돼 있다.

멕시코에서는 2년 사이 25% 오른 토르티야 가격에 항의해 2007년 폭동이 발생하기도 했다.

국제구호단체 옥스팜은 “전 세계 약 10억 인구는 이미 먹고살기 어려울 정도로 가난하다”면서 “이번 식량가격 급등으로 수백만명이 추가 타격을 입게 될 것”으로 20일 우려했다. 옥스팜은 특히 “지난 30년 가까이 당연시돼온 저가식량시대는 막을 내렸다”면서 “국제 옥수수 재고량이 6년래 최저치를 보이고 있는 점도 우려된다”고 지적했다.

곡물 파동에 따른 식량난은 각국 정치에도 영향에 미칠 수 있다.

2011년 아랍 민주화 시위가 식량가격 상승에 따른 불만에서 비롯됐다는 분석도 있다.

곡물가 급등, 한국 물가 충격이 가장 클 것

대장균은 장관 내에 1% 정도 정상적으로 존재하는 세균입니다. 공장식 농장에서 사육되고 있는 
반추동물의 약30%는 병원성 대장균 O157:H7을 보균하고 있습니다. 공장식 농장에서는 사료
효율을  높이기 위하여 고농도의 곡물사료를 급여하고 있지요. 옥수수 및 콩 위주의 곡물사료
급여에 따라  가축들의 소화계(장관)에서 대장균이 득실거리는 환경을 조장하고 있습니다.

자세한 내용은 2009년 발표된 아래 논문은 참고하세요.

Diet, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and cattle: a review after 10 years.