El Nino may shrink Philippine GM crop area

The Philippines biotechnology crop planting grew by 14.3% to 400,000 hectares despite the typhoons last year but may experience a slowdown in 2010 due to the threat of El Nino.

The planting of genetically modified (GM) Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn this year fell below the projected 500,000 hectares based on forecasts made by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

Despite this, ISAAA Chairman Clive James believes planting of Bt corn has continued to advance the welfare of farmers, particularly the small ones who have no other means to raise their production but through seeds technology.

Joseph I. Benemerito, a Bt corn farmer in Alfonso Lista in Ifugao, disclosed that in his area alone, already 20,000 hectares are devoted to corn plants of which Bt corn takes up around 90%. The area used to be a grazing land for livestock.