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Mexico - Agricultural biotechnology, annual report: Mexico continues to cautiously move forward with biotechnology


Mexico City, Mexico
August 5, 2013

USDA/FAS GAIN report MX 3061

Highlights:

Mexico is well equipped with the knowledge and expertise in agricultural biotechnology. However, the country is at a crossroads due to negative public perception among some sectors of society related to biotechnology, fears about the environmental impacts of biotech crops, and various other reasons.

Mexico continues to send mixed signals regarding its stance toward acceptance of biotechnology. On the other hand, scientists in Mexico are developing important advances in biotechnology crops which afford the country more opportunities to enter into sustainable agriculture, including crop varieties that can better tolerate drought conditions as well as other benefits like a reduction in s fertilizer and herbicide use.

Cotton has been the major Mexican biotechnology success story. The Confederation of Mexican Cotton Associations (CMCA) stated that pesticide application dropped by over 50 percent due to use of genetically engineered (GE) seeds while yields have increased dramatically. Industry sources estimate that for marketing year (MY) 2011/12, 85 percent of the total area planted used GE seeds with an average yield of 8.55 bales/hectare (ha). Conventional hybrid cotton seed yields average only 7.24 bales/ha. For MY 2012/2013, 87 percent of the total area planted was GE cotton, for 2013/14 it is expected to be between 85 and 90 percent.

Corn is the next GE crop that is expected to reach commercial production outside of areas determined as corn centers of origin, although the decision-making process remains unclear. Mexico is considered the center of origin for corn and thus corn holds an almost holy-like status in the country.

SECTION I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

With a growing population, an expanding economy, and a more market-oriented agricultural sector, biotech proponents insist Mexico needs to take advantage of the best technology possible in order to produce food and fiber in a more sustainable way. Mexico has become the second-largest agricultural trading partner with the United States following Canada. In terms of combined exports and imports, Mexico in 2012, accounted for 13.4 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports and 15.9 percent of imports, as defined and categorized by USDA. The United States is Mexico's largest agri-food trading partner, buying 75 percent of Mexican exports and supplying 73 percent of the country's imports.

The only GE crops in commercial production in México are cotton and soybeans, with a permitted area totaling 25,000 ha and 253,000 ha respectively in 2012. The next crop that is expected to reach commercial production is GE corn.

Mexico is equipped with knowledge and expertise in agricultural biotechnology and has regulatory systems in place to assess biotechnology products. However, Mexico is at crossroads due to negative perceptions of the technology, fears about the environmental impacts of GE crops that some opponents have used to disseminate among some sectors of the society. To address the challenge of the negative public perception, both strategic engagement with stakeholders and effective messaging based on science is necessary. This will help not only resolve biotech marketing issues, but could also be the incentive for Mexican scientists and industry to invest more in biotechnology applications which could ultimately contribute to address national food security needs.

Complete report



More news from: USDA - FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service)


Website: http://www.fas.usda.gov/

Published: September 4, 2013

 
 

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