High adoption of biotech crops continued in 2018 with 26 countries planting 191.7 million hectares worldwide. This area is an increase of 1.9 million hectares or 1% from the previous year’s area. The average adoption rate in the top five biotech crop-growing countries increased to reach close to saturation, with the United States at 93.3% (average for soybeans, maize, and canola), Brazil at 93%, Argentina at close to 100%, Canada at 92.5%, and India at 95%.
The top five biotech crop-growing countries planted a total of 174.5 million hectares of biotech crops, equivalent to more than 90% of the total global area. The United States has led other countries in commercial cultivation of biotech crops since 1996 and produced 75 million hectares in 2018. Brazil, the second largest and the top developing country producer of biotech crops planted 51.3 million hectares.
Argentina maintained its ranking as the third-largest producer of biotech crops in the world and planted 23.9 million hectares. Canada, the fourth-largest producer of biotech crops in 2018, planted 12.75 million hectares, and in India, six million farmers planted 11.6 million hectares of Bt cotton.
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