1.More crop producers to plant non-genetically modified soybeans
2.Parana: Non-GM soya is worth more and GM soy loses ground
NOTE: These two articles about the decline in growing GM soy in the United States and in the Brazilian state of Parana show the previously strong trend towards growing GM soy in these countries tailoring off and even starting to go into reverse, with farmers realising that GM soy production is proving more expensive while GM soy commands lower prices.
As well as cheaper non-GM seed and lucrative premiums for the non-GM crop, there appears to be an additional factor in Parana, where in some regions the GM soy varieties are reported to produce considerably less than non-GM varieties.
However, we previously posted a Reuters article reporting how farmers in Brazil's Mato Grosso, the country's top soy state, are also shunning GM soy varieties in favour of conventional seeds because of poor yields, as well as the higher premiums available for the non-GM soy.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/behindTheScenes/idUKTRE52C5AB20090313
EXTRACTS: This whole picture is causing the GM product not to take off in Parana, and even to lose ground... Of a total of 4.07 million bags of seed available in the market, 56% were conventional and 44% GMO(against 48% of conventional seed and 52% of GMO, last season). (item 2)
"Seed companies that deal with non-GM varieties are expected to increase their seed production 100 percent, perhaps 200 percent, this year so there will be a lot more seed available next year."
Additionally, growers may be able to keep the seed of some non-GM soybean varieties that are not patented or if the seed laws allow that activity.
"One acre of [non-GM] seed production will plant up to 30 acres of soybeans the following year," said Beuerlein.
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1.More crop producers to plant non-genetically modified soybeans
Farm and Dairy, April 7 2009
http://tiny.cc/O4jNw
COLUMBUS - Cheaper seed and lucrative premiums are driving more crop producers to plant non-genetically modified soybeans this year.
U.S. soybean production is 95 percent dominated by genetically modified Round Up Ready soybeans.
Trend
However, a small percentage of that crop - perhaps 5 percent - will be planted to non-GM soybeans and the trend toward the latter is expected to continue in the near future, said Jim Beuerlein, an Ohio State University Extension agronomist.
"Round Up Ready soybean seed is becoming expensive and there are a number of markets, both stateside and internationally, that want non-GM varieties and they are willing to pay the premiums for it," said Beuerlein, who also holds a research appointment with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
"So with premiums over $1 per bushel, that's $50 in extra income per acre and non-GM seed has been historically cheaper than Round Up Ready seed to begin with. So we've got two things that are sparking grower interest: cheaper seed and the grain is worth more."
Increase
Beuerlein anticipates Ohio growers to increase their non-GM soybean acreage by about 10 percent. But with 4.5 million acres of soybeans planted in Ohio each year, the increase is not earth shattering.
The reason, said Beuerlein, is because there simply isn't enough seed to go around to meet demand.
"There's a shortage of normal germplasm seed because we've been growing Round Up Ready varieties for so long and there wasn't a big demand for non-GM seed. We have just not been developing those kinds of varieties so the seed and the varieties are somewhat limited at this time," he said.
"But seed companies that deal with non-GM varieties are expected to increase their seed production 100 percent, perhaps 200 percent, this year so there will be a lot more seed available next year."
Additionally, growers may be able to keep the seed of some non-GM soybean varieties that are not patented or if the seed laws allow that activity.
"One acre of seed production will plant up to 30 acres of soybeans the following year," said Beuerlein.
Careful management
As growers prepare for this planting season, careful management of the crop should be considered, said Beuerlein.
"All seed is becoming much more expensive as traits are added and varieties are improved, so that dictates that we manage our seed planting operations very carefully," said Beuerlein.
[shortened]
The report can be found at http://oardc.osu.edu/soy2008/.
The number of non-GM varieties tested is expected to increase for the 2009 trials.
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2.Parana: Non-GM soya is worth more and GM soya loses ground
Source: Gazeta Mercantil, 18 March 2009,
ASPTA Bulletin 435
[translation for GMWatch by Ralph Miller]
In 2009 the big Coops, which have largely been responsible for the spread of GM soya in the State, are paying a bonus of upto R$ 2.30 per 60 kilogram bag, in order to cater for clients, mainly European and Asian, who don't accept genetically altered soya.
This season the largest Coop in Brazil, Coamo, from Campo Mourao (PR), is paying a R$ 2.00 bonus per bag of conventional soya, says its president Jose Aroldo Galassini. Last year of the 2.4 million tons the Coop traded, 900,000 were GM-free.
"We have to cater to our European clients that use soya as food and don't want the altered product. This bonus is established by the contracts that require conventional soya. Of the total value the Coop keeps 40% and 60% goes the farmer," says Galassini. "We have been doing this for several years, but the bonus used to be smaller, between R$ 1.00 and R$ 1.40", he added.
According to him the higher price is established in the contracts. The Coop keeps part "for the investments made to segregate the product, principally in the new silos".
Likewise Cocamar and Integrada, as well as other large Coops such as C. Vale, Copacol and Cocari also segregate the grain in order to cater for client specifications (...).
According to Silvio Krinski, of the technical management of the Cooperative Organization or Parana (Ocepar Portuguese acronym) conventional soya has developed into a niche, which at this moment is very important in the market [this "niche" seems to be more than half the crop!].
"What is happening is that GM soya is losing its main attraction that is a lower production cost. With the bonus being paid and the increase of the glyphosate price production costs are practically even", he says. Further more there are regions in Parana such as the State's South-center where the GMO varieties produce considerably less than the conventional.
This whole picture is causing the GM product not to take off in Parana, and even to lose ground. According to a survey made by the Seed and Seedling Association of Parana (Apasem Portuguese acronym), for the 2008/2009 season there was already a smaller demand for GM soya. Of a total of 4.07 million bags of seed available in the market, 56% were conventional and 44% GMO(against 48% of conventional seed and 52% of GMO, last season).