Genetically modified crops: Brazilian law and overview

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Economics

Background:

• Genetically modified (GM) crops rapidly adopted in Brazil since 1998.
• GM soybean, corn, and cotton dominated crop areas by 2012.
• Technology adoption is key to Brazilian agricultural development.

Purpose of the Study:

• Analyze the dynamics of GM crop adoption in Brazil.
• Examine the roles of farmers, trade, and legislation.
• Assess the market concentration of GM seed technology.

Main Methods:

• Survey of National Cultivar Registry and Plant Variety Protection databases (1998-2013).
• Analysis of released GM events and registered cultivars.
• Examination of technology ownership by multinational corporations.

Main Results:

• 36 GM events released: 5 soybean, 18 corn, 12 cotton, 1 bean.
• 1395 GM cultivars registered: 582 soybean, 783 corn, 30 cotton.
• Monsanto dominates with 73.05% of GM technology, followed by Dow AgroScience-DuPont and Syngenta.

Conclusions:

• GM seed provision in Brazil is an oligopoly, reinforced by legislation.
• Multinational corporations, primarily Monsanto, control GM crop technology.
• Brazil faces increasing dependence on foreign corporations for agricultural commodities.