GMO acreage growing globally

Of the 24 countries planting genetically modified (GM) crops, five cultivated 94.5% of them: the US (75 Mio. ha), Brazil (50,2), Argentina (23,6), Canada (13,1), and India (11,4). In Europe, only Spain and Portugal planted GM crops. GM soybeans were planted on 94.1 million ha, while GM maize grew on 59.7 million ha, GM cotton was cultivated on 24.2 million ha, and GM canola grew on 10.2 million ha. Most common traits were herbicide tolerance and insect-resistance and combinations thereof. According to ISAAA figures, 43 countries imported GMO-derived food and feedstuffs.

While GMO opponents point to a growing amount of weeds that have adopted resistance to those traits, ISAAA officials underlined the benefits of genetic engineering. "Biotech crops offer enormous benefits to the environment, health of humans and animals, and contributions to the improvement of socioeconomic conditions of farmers and the public," said ISAAA Chair of the Board, Paul S. Teng. "The recent production of next generation biotech crops – including apples and potatoes that are not likely to spoil or become damaged, anthocyanin-enriched super sweet pineapple, increased ear biomass and high amylose content maize, and soybeans with modified oil content, combined with the commercialization approval for an insect resistant sugarcane – provides more diverse offerings to consumers and food producers." 

ISAAA reports that there were improvements in the commercial availability and planting of biotech fruits and vegetables with direct consumer benefits. Two generations of Innate potatoes have been approved in the U.S and Canada, one with reduced bruising and browning and lower acrylamide and the other with these traits plus lower levels of reducing sugars and late blight protection, along with non-browning Arctic apples in the USA, and Bt eggplant in Bangladesh.

Further new biotech crops and traits include staple crops such as beta-carotene enriched Golden Rice being tested in the Philippines and Bangladesh; bunchy top virus resistant biotech banana in Uganda; Fusarium wilt resistant biotech banana and biotech wheat with disease resistance, drought tolerance, altered oil content and grain composition being field tested in Australia; high yield and biomass wheat in the United Kingdom; late blight resistant potato varieties Desiree and Victoria in Uganda and late blight and nematode resistant potato variety Maris Piper with less bruising and less acrylamide potato in the EU; insect resistant chickpea and pigeon pea, and biotech mustard which are staple vegetables and oil source, respectively, in India; drought tolerant sugarcane in India and Indonesia; and omega-3 enriched camelina in the EU.