Brazil has the highest rate of adoption of transgenics in its history

Three quarters of the area farmed with soybeans and more than half of the area planted with corn use GM seeds in the 2010/11 season, according to the 2nd issue of study performed by Celeres.
 
Three out of every four hectares planted with soybeans in Brazil in 2010/11 crop season were sowed with genetically modified seeds (GM), as reveled by the 2nd Monitoring of the adoption of agricultural biotechnology in Brazil, carried out by Celeres consulting company. Considering also the area cultivated with transgenic summer corn seeds, winter corn and cotton, this is the highest rate of adoption of transgenics in the history of the national agriculture. And, according to Celeres, it tends to increase even more over the next years.

In the case of soybeans, for the current crop season Celeres forecasts that 18.1 million hectares are planted with transgenic herbicide-tolerant soybeans, which represents 76.2% of the total area sown with the oilseed. "Farmers are encouraged by a favorable scenario in quotes and must sow 23.7 million hectares with soybeans in the 2010/11 season," says Anderson Galvao, director of Celeres.

Corn crops, however, should occupy 1.22 million hectares - an area 45.5% larger than in 2009/10 season. Out of this area, 325 thousand hectares will be planted with genetically modified varieties containing insect resistance technologies, herbicide tolerance or both technologies stacked. This last case, which represents the first crop season using this stacked technology, should reach 7.8% of the area with cotton.

Estimates on corn indicate that transgenic hybrids will occupy 57.2% of the total area, considering both the summer crop and the mid-season (safrinha) winter crop. In the case of summer corn, the total area farmed with insect-resistant transgenic seeds represents 44.4% of the total area. "The delay in releasing traits containing herbicide-tolerant technology limited the access to that technology this crops season, but it should be more present in the winter mid-season crop," explains Anderson Galvao. For winter corn, estimates are that 75.4% of the area are farmed with transgenic hybrids, when, according to Celeres, the insect-resistance technology is more used.

About Celeres

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Uberlandia, MG, Celeres is among the most respected consulting companies specialized in agribusiness Brazil. With services in market intelligence, investment advisory, strategic consulting and rural planning, Celeres' consultants are frequent sources for businesses, organizations and media, always seeking to translate the trends of the field for the domestic market. Visit http://www.celeres.com.br