The demand for transgenic soya drops in the State of Parana

Source:
Agência Estadual de Notícias do Paraná, 18/12/2008. Paraná Stated News Agency 12/18/2008

This year the seed trade in Parana offered more conventional soya seeds than transgenic ones for the 2008/09 harvest. According to the Secretary for Agriculture and Supply Valter Bianchini, the Paraná farmers are planting less transgenic soya after having verified that the conventional crop has lower production costs when compared to transgenic soya.

Furthermore the productivity and revenue of conventional soya was greater for the 2007/08 harvest. Bianchini mentioned a survey made by the Associação Paranaense de Sementes e Mudas (Paraná State Association for Seeds and Seedling) (Apasem), for the 2008/09 crop, that showed a lower deman d for transgenic soya. Of a total 4,070 million bags available on the market, 58% were of conventional seed and 48% of transgenic seed. Apasem consists of 82 seed growers who produce 95% of the soya seed available on the market.

The survey made  last year for the  2007/08 harvest showewd that of the 4,324 million bags of soya seed available 48% were of conventional seed and 52% of transgenic seed.  According to the Secretary Valter Bianchini, this indicates a reversal of the tendency that has been occurring up to last year, when the farmer’s preference was for transgenic soya.. Apasem identified this tendency to return to planting conventinal soya manly in the Guarapuava and Ponta Grossa areas.