Browse Data and Analysis

There are no significant changes to the agricultural biotechnology situation in the Czech Republic in 2022. The country generally maintains a scientific approach towards biotechnology. Czech farmers planted genetically engineered (GE) corn from 2005 to 2017.

The French livestock industry depends on imported genetically engineered (GE) feed, especially soybean, rapeseed, and corn. However, France has no commercial production or field trials of GE crops. While most French scientists and farmers are generally supportive of biotechnology, consumer attitudes toward GE are primarily negative.

The Government of Argentina (GOA) approved two new genetically engineered (GE) events in 2022 (one soybean and one maize). In November 2021, Brazil's regulatory agency approved the commercialization of wheat flour containing the HB4 drought tolerance event grown in Argentina. As a result of this approval by Argentina’s most important export market for wheat, the GOA granted full approval for seed commercialization.

While Jordan continues to have no clear agricultural biotechnology framework, on March 8, 2020, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s cabinet of ministers approved the regulation, “Instructions for Handling Food and Food Products Originating from Genetically Modified Substances Produced by Modern Biotechnology for 2018,” published in Jordan’s official gazette on April 3, 2020.

Brazil is the second-largest producer of biotech crops in the world with 105 events approved. For the 2022/2023 crop season, FAS Brasilia forecasts a 65 million hectares planted with GE traits. Adoption rates for soybeans and cotton reached 99 percent and 95 percent for corn. Continued use of biotechnology seeds has been a major contributor to yield growth in Brazil since its adoption.

In July 2022, the government of Canada published guidelines that reinforce Canada’s product-based approach and provides guidance on how Canada’s Novel Food Regulations are applied to products of plant breeding. The government is now revising regulations for animal feed and environmental release. Publication of revisions is expected in spring 2023.

In 2022 Honduras has made no modifications or changes to its existing regulatory framework. As of October 2022, Honduras had more than 52,000 hectares (ha) of genetically engineered (GE) Corn production, a 37 percent increase from calendar 2021.

On October 3, 2022, Kenya’s newly elected president, Dr. William Ruto, lifted the 10-year ban on importation and cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) agricultural products. This decision opens a path to importation of GE agricultural commodities and domestic production of GE crops in accordance with Kenya’s existing regulatory structure.

In the past year, Hong Kong did not have any policy changes to regulations pertaining to genetically engineered (GE) products, while monitoring the development of synthetic biology. Hong Kong does not maintain specific regulations for GE products, which are subject to the same food regulations of conventional foods.

On November 21, 2022, the Government of India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified its draft notification F.No. 1/Standards/GMO&F/Misc/FSSAI/2018 (November 18, 2022).

Since the previous report, Taiwan has granted new approvals for imports of genetically engineered (GE) products for processing, food, and feed use. Taiwan has never permitted domestic production of GE crops or animals. In 2021, Taiwan imported close to $1.2 billion of U.S. GE crops including soybeans, corn, and cotton, accounting for 30 percent of total U.S. agricultural exports to the island.

The European Union’s (EU) complex and lengthy policy framework for biotechnology creates a challenging environment for research and limits access to innovative tools for EU farmers.