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USDA: Next Steps to Advance Biotechnology in Mexico Uncertain
Aug. 11, 2014
Mexico is well equipped with the knowledge and expertise in agricultural biotechnology. However, the country is at a crossroads due to negative public perception among some sectors of society related to biotechnology, fears about the environmental impacts of biotech crops, and various other reasons.
Mexico continues to send mixed signals regarding its stance toward acceptance of biotechnology. On the other hand, scientists in Mexico are developing important advances in biotechnology crops which afford the country more opportunities to enter into sustainable agriculture, including crop varieties that can better tolerate drought conditions as well as other benefits like a reduction in fertilizer and herbicide use.
Cotton has been the major Mexican biotechnology success story. The Confederation of Mexican Associations (CMCA) stated that pesticide application has dropped by over 50 percent since the use of genetically engineered (GE) seeds while at the same time yields have increased dramatically.
Conventional hybrid cotton seed yields average only 7.24 bales/ha while GE cotton seed averages 8.55 bales/ha. For marketing year (MY) 2013/2014, 87 percent of the total area planted to cotton was from GE seed.
On the other hand, the commercial release of GE corn has not met with such success in Mexico. Although GE permits are pending, the Mexican government has yet to approve a GE corn permit for commercial planting. In a further setback that took place in September 2013, a federal judge effectively suspended the plantings of all GE corn in Mexico by placing a provisional injunction against all such plantings with no clear timeline for solution.
Source: USDA
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