January 26, 2006

GM soy now make up half the Brazilian market
 

Nearly half the 58 million tonnes of soybeans that Brazil expects in its next harvest are transgenic. This phenomenon has ceased to be a controversial subject but has become a mainstay of the new Brazilian agricultural landscape.

There will be even more growth of genetically modified soybean cultivation in coming years because of the convenience such crops bring to farmers, according to the director of Research of the Brazilian Seed Association, Ivo Carraro.

Transgenic crops will soon make up almost 100 percent of all soy harvested in some regions such as Rio Grande do Sul while other regions such as Bahia and Mato Grosso are fast catching up.