Methodology

GM crop areas are established by collecting data from a range of sources such as individual governments, national associations, and regional experts. Data is either provided as actual planted areas or expressed as a percentage of total cultivated area.

Where data has been gathered as GM planted areas, percentage utilisation is calculated against national association cultivation data where available, otherwise USDA PSD data is used. Similarly, where data has been gathered at the utilisation level, GM planted areas are calculated against national association cultivation data, or where this is not available, USDA PSD data.

GM production is an estimated value as sources do not generally record GM-only production levels. To establish these values, AgbioInvestor assumes that the level of GM production is equivalent to the percentage of GM utilisation. In highly developed nations, the difference in yield between GM and conventional crops is theorised to be negligible, as the use of GM input traits are primarily used for input cost reduction rather than yield enhancement. In conventional crop production any potential fall in yield would be counteracted by an increased use of crop protection chemicals. In developing nations where crop protection usage is not as universally equivalent, GM crops may offer yield improvement through reduction in biotic stress.

GM crop approvals have principally been sourced from government websites for each country. AgbioInvestor has normalised these differing datasets for ease of analysis, and where possible assigned brand names. For countries with differing dates for food and feed approvals, the latter date has been used. The data contained in this website is as up to date as possible, reflecting the current level of data available from each source.

Argentina

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by Biotech Latam. GM area & production is calculated using Argentine National Association total planted area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Australia

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia. GM area & production is calculated using Australian National Association total planted area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Bangladesh

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation. GM area & production is calculated using FAOSTAT area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Brazil

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by Biotech Latam. GM area & production is calculated using Brazilian National Association total planted area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Canada

Cultivation methodology

GM areas are provided by Statistics Canada. GM area & production is calculated using Canadian National Association total planted area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

China

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing China Ministry of Agriculture. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Colombia

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by Biotech Latam and Agrobio. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Costa Rica

Cultivation approvals

Eswatini

Cultivation approvals

Ethiopia

Cultivation approvals

EU

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Honduras

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing SAG’s National Service of Food Safety, Plant and Animal Health (SENASA). GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

India

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by Agri Innovation. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Indonesia

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Japan

Import approvals

Kenya

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Korea

Import approvals

Malaysia

Import approvals

Mexico

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Myanmar

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing Myanmar Department of Agriculture. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Nigeria

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Pakistan

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing Pakistan National Biosafety Committee. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Paraguay

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by Biotech Latam and 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Philippines

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided by Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry or via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Russia

Import approvals

Singapore

Import approvals

South Africa

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by CropLife regional representative or via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN. GM area & production is calculated using South African National Association total planted area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Switzerland

Import approvals

Taiwan

Import approvals

Turkey

Import approvals

UK

Import approvals

Uruguay

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by CropLife regional representative or via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

USA

Cultivation methodology

% utilisation data is provided by USDA ERS. GM area & production is calculated using USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Production area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Vietnam

Cultivation methodology

GM area is provided via 3rd party sources such as USDA GAIN citing Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. GM area & production is calculated using USDA PSD area and production data.

Cultivation data

Cultivation approvals

Import approvals

Trade Data

Trade data is taken from UN Comtrade - Information is sporadic and represents all data that is available.