GM crop cultivation in EU down 12 % in 2009

The cultivation of genetically modified crops in the European Union fell 12 percent last year, due partly to Germanys decision to ban the growing of GM maize, an industry-sponsored report said on Tuesday.

The land area sown to biotech crops across the 27-country EU in 2009 totalled 94,750 hectares, down from 107,719 hectares in 2008, the report issued by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) showed.

The only GM crop grown in the bloc is an insect-resistant maize, MON 810, developed by U.S. biotech firm Monsanto.

MON 810 -- also known as Bt maize -- was approved for a decade of growing in 1998 and is awaiting licence renewal by the EU.

The German cultivation ban on MON 810 cut the number of EU countries growing GM crops in 2009 to six. Spain still had by far the largest amount of land sown to GM at 76,057 hectares, down 4 percent on 2008, the ISAAA said.

"The decrease (in EU GM cultivation) in 2009 was associated with several factors, including the economic recession, decreased total plantings of hybrid maize and disincentives for some farmers due to onerous reporting of intended plantings of Bt maize," the report said.

Environmental group Greenpeace attributed the decrease to higher GM seed prices and public opposition to GM crops in Europe.

"GM crops are a failed experiment. They are failing in the field and failing on the market," a Greenpeace spokesman said.

In contrast to the EU, GM cultivation globally grew by 7 percent last year to reach 134 million hectares, the report said. The United States had by far the largest GM area, totalling 64 million hectares, followed by Brazil and Argentina.

European Union GM crop sowings by area in 2008, 2009 (in hectares)
Country	2008	2009
Spain	79,269	76,057
Czech Republic	8,380	6,480
Portugal	4,851	5,094
Romania	7,146	3,244
Poland	3,000	3,000
Slovakia	1,900	875