轉基因農作物恢復擴張

Genetically modified crops resumed their march across the world’s farmland last year, with GM plants covering a record 185m hectares — 3 per cent more than 2015. By far the largest increase was in Brazil, the engine of global GM growth, where the area expanded by 11 per cent to 44m hectares.

去年，轉基因農作物恢復了在全球耕地上的擴張勢頭，其種植面積達到創紀錄的1.85億公頃，比2015年高出3%。增幅最大的是巴西，該國是全球轉基因農作物增長的引擎，種植面積擴大11%，至4400萬公頃。

The figures come from the most authoritative annual survey of GM crops worldwide, carried out by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, a global network of non-profit centres that promote agricultural biotechnology. The equivalent ISAAA study a year ago had shown a small decrease in planting, the first since GM crops were commercialised 20 years ago.

這些數據來自有關全球轉基因農作物的最權威年度調查，調查由國際農業生物技術應用服務組織（International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications，簡稱ISAAA）展開。該組織是一個全球性網絡，旗下有多個推廣農業生物技術的非營利中心。該組織一年前的研究顯示，轉基因農作物種植面積略有減少，這是自轉基因農作物20年前開始商業化種植以來的首次。

Paul Teng of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, ISAAA chair, attributed the upturn to various factors in different parts of the world. “There was some recovery in commodity prices, which had a positive effect particularly in the US,” he said. “Favourable weather led to an increase in planting in several countries.

ISAAA主席、新加坡南洋理工大學(Nanyang Technological University)教授Paul Teng將轉基因農作物種植面積恢復增長歸因於全球不同地區的多個因素。“大宗商品價格有所回升，這尤其在美國產生了積極影響，”他表示，“有利的天氣使多個國家的種植面積增加。”

“But the main driving force is that farmers appreciate the immense benefits of biotech crops for improved productivity and profitability, as well as conservation efforts,” said Professor Teng.

他表示：“但主要的推動因素是農民認識到了生物技術農作物對於提高生產率和利潤率以及環保努力的巨大好處。”

Sales of GM seeds in 2016 were also up 3 per cent on 2015, according to data provided by Cropnosis, a research company. The market was worth $15.8bn, equivalent to 35 per cent of global commercial seed sales ($45bn).

根據研究機構Cropnosis提供的數據，2016年轉基因種子的銷售額也比2015年增長3%。這塊市場的規模爲158億美元，相當於全球商業種子銷售額（450億美元）的35%。

Four species still dominate GM planting: maize, soyabeans, cotton and canola (oilseed rape). The two main “traits” or characteristics conferred by genetic engineering so far have been herbicide tolerance, which enables farmers to spray fields with a weedkiller that does not harm the crop, and insect resistance, which stops pests eating the plants.

目前種植的主要轉基因農作物仍是以下四類：玉米、大豆、棉花和油菜籽。目前基因工程賦予的兩種主要特點是耐除草劑和抗蟲性，前者讓農民可以向農田噴灑除草劑，但不傷害農作物，後者可以阻止害蟲啃食農作物。

But new GM crops would soon propel another wave of expansion, Professor Teng said: “With commercial approvals and plantings of new varieties of biotech potatoes and apples, consumers will begin to enjoy direct benefits of biotechnology with produce that is not likely to spoil or be damaged, which in turn has the potential to substantially reduce food waste and consumer grocery costs.” For example genes added to GM apples and potatoes make them more resistant to browning or bruising when cut or bashed.

但新的轉基因作物將會很快引發新一波擴張，Paul Teng表示：“隨着以生物技術培育的新品種土豆和蘋果獲得商業化批准和種植，消費者將能開始享受到生物技術帶來的直接益處，農產品不太可能壞掉或被破壞，從而有可能大量減少食品浪費和消費者在食品方面的成本。”例如，被添加進轉基因蘋果和土豆的基因，可使蘋果和土豆在切開或受到撞擊時更不容易變色或碰傷。

Although consumer and environmental groups across the world continue to resist GM crops, the resolutely pro-biotech ISAAA detects signs of changing attitudes.

儘管世界各地的消費者和環保團體繼續抵制轉基因農作物，但堅定支持生物技術的ISAAA發現了人們態度轉變的一些跡象。

In Africa, for instance, “a new wave of acceptance is emerging”, with field trials of GM banana, cowpea and sorghum under way in several countries. Even in Europe, the heartland of anti-GM sentiment, 136,000 hectares of insect-resistant maize were planted — 17 per cent up on 2015.

例如，在非洲，“新一波的接受浪潮正在出現”，多個國家正在開展轉基因香蕉、豇豆和高粱的試驗田。即便在作爲反轉基因大本營的歐洲，也種植了13.6萬公頃防蟲害的轉基因玉米，較2015年增長了17%。

The commercial concentration of agricultural biotechnology is set to increase this year, with megamergers in progress between Bayer and Monsanto, Dow Chemical and DuPont, and Syngenta and ChemChina. Although the industry’s critics have expressed concern, Prof Teng is supportive.

今年，農業生物技術行業的集中度料將上升，數起特大合併正在推進，包括拜耳(Bayer)與孟山都(Monsanto)、陶氏化學(Dow Chemical)與杜邦(DuPont)，以及先正達(Syngenta)與中國化工(ChemChina)。儘管業內批評人士表達了擔憂，但Paul Teng支持這一趨勢。

“I really think that having fewer companies will be better for farmers,” he said. “The three or four companies left will be better at carrying out groundbreaking R&D, transferring technology from the public sector and complying with international standards.”

他說：“我由衷認爲，公司數量減少對農民更有利。剩下的三四家公司將能更好地實施開創性的研發項目，將技術從公共部門轉移出來，並遵循國際標準。”