Mar 10, 2010
Brazilian Farmers Are Rapidly Adopting Genetically Modified Crops
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Genetically modified crops have only been legally available in Brazil for five years, but they are already planted on nearly half of the row crop acreage in Brazil. Brazilian farmers have rapidly adopted genetically modified soybeans, corn, and cotton. Of the 47.7 million hectares of row crops planted in Brazil last year, 21.4 million or 45% were genetically modified soybeans, corn, or cotton.
The rapid adoption of this new technology has been particularly evident with the introduction of Bt corn hybrids, which are resistant to insects. Bt corn was first commercially available in Brazil in 2008 when 1.3 million hectares were planted. In 2009, Bt corn was planted on 5 million hectares or four times more than the previous year. In 2008, 10% of Brazil's corn acreage was Bt corn and in 2009 that has jumped to 31% when you combine both full-season and safrinha corn production. For the 2010-11 growing season, Bt corn is expected to occupy 60 to 70% of Brazil's corn acreage.
Brazilian farmers have rapidly adopted Bt corn because it is more economical to grow and it produces better quality grain. In a tropical climate such as Brazil, insects are a big concern and Bt corn hybrids can save up to R$ 300 per hectare (US$ 70 per acre) on reduced chemical costs in addition to producing a better quality product.
The first genetically modified crop available in Brazil was Roundup Ready soybeans, which are now grown on approximately 67% of Brazil's soybean acres. First used in far southern Brazil, Roundup Ready soybeans now account for 95% of the soybean production in Rio Grande do Sul. In the state of Parana, approximately 47% of the soybeans are Roundup Ready and in Mato Grosso they account for approximately 50% of the crop.
The percentage of genetically modified soybeans grown in Brazil is expected to continue increasing. The Brazilian research service Embrapa has joined with Basf to develop their own brand of herbicide resistant soybeans. In the future Brazilian farmers will be able to switch between soybean varieties resistant to two different herbicides. This should help avoid the problem of weeds developing resistance to Roundup.
In addition to genetically modified corn and soybeans, Brazilian farmers have planted 145,000 hectares of Bt cotton, or 16% of the total cotton area in Brazil. Combining the three crops, Brazilian farmers planted approximately 16% of all the genetically modified crops grown worldwide.