Biotech Crop Area Reaches 2.5 Billion Hectares in 23 Years

High adoption of biotech crops continued in 2018, according to the ISAAA Report, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2018. On the 23rd year of commercial cultivation of biotech crops, 26 countries grew 191.7 million hectares of biotech crops, bringing the accumulated biotech crop area to 2.5 billion hectares, a ~113-fold increase since 1996, the first year of commercial planting of biotech crops. This makes biotech crops the fastest crop technology adopted in recent times.

The total area of 191.7 million hectares in 2018 were grown by 26 countries, 21 developing and 5 industrial countries. Developing countries led by Brazil planted 54% of the total biotech crop area, while the industrial countries led by the USA planted the remaining 46%. An additional 44 countries imported biotech crops for food, feed, and processing, bringing the total number of countries that adopted biotech crops to 70.

Learn more about biotech crops adoption in 2018, download and read the booklet Beyond Promises: Facts about Biotech/GM Crops in 2018.