Clive James, the chairman of the International Service For The Acquisition Of the Agri-Biotech Applications, thinks the area under cultivation with transgenic crops across the world should double in 10 years as farmers realize the economic benefits of such crops (ref. 1). At the present time, transgenic crops are grown on 102 million hectares, about 6% of the total world agricultural area of 1.5 billion hectares, Mr James sees growth coming mainly come from Asian nations, including India, China, Vietnam and Pakistan. There are already plans to introduce drought- and stress-resistant corn, soybean, cotton and canola seed technologies in India.

In this context, it is relevant to note a study on the economics particularly of Bt cotton in India (ref. 2). Cotton is a major commercial crop in India but with substantial problems, particularly from extensive pest damage and poor yields. Bt cotton offers a promising solution to these serious problems. Data from 694 farmers in the important cotton states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu show that Bt cotton offers good resistance to bollworms as well as several other pests; pest incidence is said to be considerably lower in Bt cotton comapred with the non-Bt crop. The yields of Bt cotton were higher with the yield increase/ difference statistically significant in all the states under both irrigated and rain-fed conditions. As a result, the value of output per hectare is higher in all the states and conditions so long as there is market acceptance of the GM-product,. Although cultivation costs are higher because savings on pesticide usage do not entirely copensate for the higher cost of seed, profits are nevertheless everywhere 80-90% higher taking into account all the inputs.

Farmers appear to appreciate the advtanges Bt cotton offers with respect to pest incidence, pesticide cost, cotton quality, yield and profits with almost all farmers intending to plant Bt cotton in the future. They would nevertheless welcome cheaper seeds, more advice on the best field practices and more Bt cotton varieties to suit the diverse agro-ecological settings.

In Thailand there is some expectation that GM rice may soon go on sale if the authorities lift the current ban on field testing of new GM products so enabling Thailand to develop a national biosafety framework (ref. 3).

But anti-GM activists have made their presence felt by dumping eleven tonnes of papayas outside the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry yesterday in protest at the agency's move to lift a ban on open-field trials of genetically-modified crops. That did not upset onlookers one little bit: they took matters into their own hands and tonnes of papayas dumped by Greenpeacesoon disappeared into peoples’ larders (ref. 4). It was the second protest about the controversial issue in five days but this time people were apparently prepared and flocked to load up on the free papayas, ignoring the environmental organisation's campaign against the dangers of GM fruit. Many passers-by said they cared little about any health risks; they were just hungry.

Sources:

1. Global area under transgenic crops to double in 10 yrs-expert. Truth about Trade & Technology (23.10.07) (http://www.truthabouttrade.org/article.asp?id=8413)

2. Vasant P. Gandhi and N.V. Namboodiri (Sept. 2006). The adoption and economics of Bt cotton in India: preliminary results from a study. Indian Institute of Management (http://ideas.repec.org/p/iim/iimawp/2006-09-04.html)

3. Charlotte Eyre. GM Thai rice on sale soon? Food Navigator (13.9.07) (http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=79717&m=1FNE913&c=kzldommuocyjajp)

4. Transgenic crops – Greenpeace dumps papayas at ministry. Bangkok Post (28.8.07) (http://www.nwrage.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1884)

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