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GMs in Europe : Reflections on the Economic Consequences. Julian Park, Ian McFarlane. Background:. Widespread international growth of GMs Financial benefits to farmers Limited growth in the EU…MON810 Limited benefits in the EU? But what are we potentially missing?.
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GMs in Europe:Reflections on the Economic Consequences Julian Park, Ian McFarlane
Background: Widespread international growth of GMs Financial benefits to farmers Limited growth in the EU…MON810 Limited benefits in the EU? But what are we potentially missing?
Estimating revenue foregone • Estimates of areas where agronomic benefits may accrue • Assumed if there was a problem then farmers would grow to overcome • Focussed on maize, cotton, canola, soya, sugar beet • Financial data mainly drawn from outside of Europe
Estimated maize benefits • PG Economics estimated net annual average saving on cost of production (from lower insecticide use) over eight growing seasons consistently between €34-42/ha. • the net increase in gross margin arising from enhanced yield was between €86-108/ha, but only in areas of high insect infestation. • Difficult to estimate the area across which a benefit in terms of pest control will be derived
Oilseed rape cultivation in EU (kHa) (source: Eurostat) Assumed benefit per hectare of 30 to 49 Euros Across the whole area. Overall benefit 195-318 Million Euros
Estimated benefit to EU of adoption of transgenic crops, per crop cycle
Discussion • Even if EU farmers had open access to GM crops, only some would derive a financial benefit from their growth. • The current benefits may be limited…..gross crop output in 2010 was about 170 Bn. • Farmers outside the EU are deriving an increasingly competitive advantage from increased yield or lower costs. • In the medium term, EU will b missing out on advantages that will exploited elsewhere in the world
Recent papers • Park J., McFarlane I., Phipps R., Ceddia G. (2010) The role of transgenic crops in sustainable development. Plant Biotech J 9, 2-21 • Park J., McFarlane I., Phipps R., Ceddia G. (2011) The impact of the EU regulatory constraint of transgenic crops on farm income. New Biotech 28(4), 296-306