The seventh annual report on the global economic and environmental impact of biotech crops developed by PG Economics, a UK based specialist provider of advisory and consultancy services to agriculture and other natural resource-based industries clearly showcased the significant and tangible benefits accrued from biotech crops between 1996 and 2010.
The report discussed by Director, PG Economics, UK Graham Brookes, Chairman, ABLE AB Dr V Ram Kaundinya, and Executive Director, Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises-Agriculture Group (ABLE-AG) Dr Seetharama Nadoor, indicated that the use of biotech crops resulted in an increase of USD 78.4 billion in global farm income. Talking to newsmen here today, after participating in panel discussion, Mr Graham said, “If crop biotechnology had not been available to the (15.4 million) farmers using the technology in 2010, maintaining global production levels at the 2010 levels would have required additional plantings of 5.1 million hectares of soybeans, 5.6 million hectares of corn, 3 million hectares of cotton and 0.35 million hectares of canola.” He said, “This total area requirement is equivalent to 8.6 per cent of the arable land in the US, 23 per cent of the arable land in Brazil or 25 per cent of the cereal area in the European Union (EU).” UNI