The area cultivated worldwide with transgenic varieties grew by 1.9% in 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 206.3 million hectares. Genetically modified organisms (GMO, official name) are currently cultivated in 23 countries and the most common varieties are corn, soybeans, cotton, rapeseed and sugar beets in which genes from other species have been incorporated with the aim of increase tolerance to specific herbicides and resistance to certain lepidopteran and coleopteran insect pests.
The cultivation of GMOs began commercially between 1994 and 1996, after more than a decade of experimentation and pilot tests. The growth rate of the area occupied by these modified varieties remained constant for almost two decades, but in the last ten years official statistics – as a world average – show stagnation or moderate growth. The development and cultivation of genetically modified plant varieties has provoked, since its origins, a strong debate between defenders (among whom are the manufacturers of this type of varieties and some sectors of scientists and farmers) and detractors (many of the groups environmentalists and some scientific and agricultural sectors).
For more than two decades, the European Union has maintained a regulation of the sector focused on guaranteeing that the GMOs that producers and manufacturers want to send to farmers comply with all safety guarantees for the environment, the rest of the crops (not modified ) and human health. In practice, current regulations have meant that only one GMO variety, MON810 maize, has been commercially grown in the EU as a whole.
During the last two decades, Spain has been the EU country with the largest agricultural area dedicated to the cultivation of the MON810 variety, followed by Portugal. The highest number of crops with this transgenic corn created by Monsanto was recorded in Spain in 2013, with a total estimate of 136,962.45 hectares, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture. In Catalonia, in 2013 the figure of 33,995.95 hectares cultivated with transgenic corn was reached.
The area planted with MON810 has decreased in Spain (and also in Portugal) almost constantly in the last 10 years. In 2022, a total of 67,620.05 hectares were planted with this variety of corn in Spain (15,890.42 hectares in Catalonia) while in 2023 the extension decreased to 46,327.42 hectares. in Spain as a whole (10,024.63 hours in Catalonia).
Carles Vicente, head of Organization of the agricultural union of Catalonia Unió de Pagesos, explains that the transgenic variety MON810 “was well received in some agricultural areas where significant damage is caused to crops by pests of the corn borer”, a lepidopteran whose “Caterpillars damage the ears and stems of this vegetable.” However, the seeds of this transgenic variety “are more expensive than similar traditional ones and, in some cases, they do not achieve as positive results – against the pest – as their manufacturers promise,” explains Carles Vicente in statements to La Vanguardia.
Over the years and with the accumulated experience, many farmers “for example in the Urgell region” have managed to adapt the cultivation periods and methods to reduce the impact of the borer pest without having to buy and plant the transgenic variety, concludes the representative. of Unió de Pagesos. “If they achieve the same results by planning crops well with normal corn, why are they going to plant more expensive transgenic corn?” Carles Vicente asks rhetorically.
The Antama Foundation (Foundation for the Application of New Technologies in Agriculture, Environment and Food) considers that the assessment of data “at a global level is positive” “If we go back to 1996, when it began in the USA. In the US, the planting of genetically modified varieties, the crop area has only grown, reaching more than 206 million hectares in 2023,” explains Soledad de Juan Arechederra, managing director of the Antama Foundation.
“In the European Union, where genetically modified crops have been stopped since their inception for ideological reasons, only Spain and Portugal currently dedicate part of their surface to genetically modified crops, specifically corn, which is the only one authorized for planting. ”says Soledad de Juan. “In Spain, since 1996, the growth of the area dedicated to GMO corn has grown exponentially until 2013, when it practically reached 137,000 hectares; From that moment on, as a result of the drought and other factors, the surface area progressively decreases until 2023, remaining at just over 46,000 hectares,” points out the managing director of the Antama Foundation.
Luis Ferreirim, head of the Agriculture Campaign at Greenpeace Spain, on the other hand, points out that the decreasing figures in transgenic corn crops in Spain and Portugal occur for two main reasons: “On the one hand, the false promises of yields and benefits of seeds that are more expensive and, on the other hand, the public’s rejection of genetically modified crops.” “A couple of decades ago it was said that transgenic corn would soon make up half of the corn grown and current figures indicate, however, that it is on its way to disappearance. I estimate that by 2030 this variety will no longer be grown in Spain.” , predicts the environmentalist spokesperson.
The cultivation of this transgenic variety “is becoming extinct for economic, agricultural and social reasons”, “generally speaking, MON810 is an example that transgenic crops, in addition to being a problem for the environment and health, are unnecessary”, indicates Ferreirim in statements to this newspaper.
“Some of its defenders said that GMOs would end hunger in the world while the reality is that the vast majority of genetically modified crops are dedicated to producing animal food, for feed, and the only major beneficiaries are the manufacturers,” concludes Luis Ferreirim.