July 25, 2007

GM corn seen to increase Mexico's corn yields

Genetically modified (GM) strains have been proven to produce more corn per acre and farmers in Mexico are agog to use it to fill possible supply gaps and ease higher prices.

Corn-made tortilla is a staple food for Mexicans and farmers are hoping to use genetically modified seeds to up their output.

However, the ejidos or Mexicans with small farms, known as ejidos, prefer to grow the native varieties of corn. They fear that a GM seed would threaten the original variety and would be less hardy.

According to Parr Rosson, an agricultural economist at Texas A&M University, the ejidos are now overshadowed by a hard reality that GM seeds favoured by big farms can yield 20 percent more corn per acre.

Since 1998, Mexico has banned biotech seeds but this year's corn severe corn shortage which prompted the country to import 800,000 tonnes at a sharp premium has GM crops up for a review.

According to Marketplace, Mexico's congress has passed a law allowing genetically modified seeds and experimental plantings will start this summer.