2006-12-22 | permalink

JRC report weighs up economic benefits of GM crops

Growing genetically modified (GM) crops can bring farmers economic benefits. But these are made from savings on herbicides, pesticides and machinery, not from higher yields, as was previously thought, according to a new study by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) on the economic impact of GM crops worldwide. [...] Weighing up the economic impacts, the report finds that for some GM crops, the difference between their yield and that of conventional crops is almost negligible. A 2000 study of Delaware farmers in the US reported only a small increase in the crop yield of herbicide tolerance (Ht) soybean compared to traditional crops. In another sample, farmers growing Ht soybean reported that they spent on average €13 per hectare more on seeds than before. However, the yield of some other GM crops, like the pest resistant cotton (Bt), has been much higher than non-GM crops. The study refers to reports from China, India, Argentina and South Africa of yields from Bt cotton crops which are anything between 10% and 87% higher than conventional cotton. In Spain, farmers growing Bt maize reported that the average yield over three seasons was just under 5% higher than that from traditional crops.

• Cordis News, Belgium: JRC report weighs up economic benefits of GM crops