www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

South Africa's genetically modified crop area (GMOs) soared by 180 percent
in the 2006/07 season to 1.4 million hectares, farm union Agri SA said,
January 2007 by Sarah McGregor.

One million hectares of the total was maize, the country's biggest staple
crop, Agri SA president Lourie Bosman told a news briefing. The remainder
was made up of soybean and cotton.

South Africa is virtually alone in its pro-GMO stance in Africa, putting it
at odds with its food-importing neighbours, as well as big markets in Europe
strongly opposed to so-called "Frankenstein foods".

But Bosman appeared confident about the trend and said South Africa's growth
in 2006/07 had been the second highest behind India and made it the eighth
largest producer in the world.

"These achievements reflect the trust and confidence of thousands of South
African commercial and emerging farmers and consumers in crop biotechnology
as the leaders in Africa," Bosman said.

Green revolution

African countries, including Zimbabwe and Zambia, have banned GMO imports,
fearing they could mix with indigenous crops.

But Bosman said there were advantages to GMOs. For one, they helped
small-scale farmers boost their incomes. Most of the 2,000 farmers in South
Africa responsible for its phenomenal growth were small scale, Bosman said.

"Income (increased) manifold for small farmers. It makes (it) much easier to
cultivate and control," he told reporters.

Wynand van der Walt, whose organisation compiled the statistics on GMOs in
South Africa, agreed.

"Africa missed the first Green Revolution that started in the 1960s. The
crop yields are really pathetic. Southern Africa can be a net exporter of
food," said Wynand van der Walt, of the International Service for the
Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

Bosman said GMOs make up about 30 percent of all maize produced in South
Africa but that could increase to 50 percent over the next several years.

Soy could increase to 80 percent from 60 percent while cotton would likely
stay around its current proportion of 90 percent of overall output.

He said most of the crops were exported but downplayed the risk of crops
being widely rejected, saying South Africa sets aside GMO-free crops.

Like other supporters of gene-altered crops, Agri SA says the bigger yields
that result from GMOs ensure food security in a region plagued by droughts
and food shortages.

Critics counter that GMOs are untested and hold potential environmental
risks

[za.today.reuters.com]