LAHORE: Nearly 30 years have elapsed since the initial commercial approval of genetically modified maize in 1996, yet its global uptake is notably limited and inconsistent.
Currently, only around two dozen countries grow GMO maize in the world, producing merely one-third of the global maize output. The overwhelming majority of countries, including Pakistan, have either prohibited or opted against the commercial cultivation of GMO maize, preventing it from becoming a worldwide norm.
GMO corn is engineered in laboratories by incorporating a toxic gene that grants the plant resistance to certain pests or altered to tolerate herbicide chemicals.The issue of adopting GMO technology has gained prominence as a federal government committee on GMO corn agreed on Monday to finalise a detailed transition and implementation framework for its commercialisation in Pakistan. The government has indicated that this initiative will progress beyond mere policy development into actual implementation and transition.
For the past 30 years, the adoption of GMO maize has been predominantly concentrated in the Americas, where the United States, Brazil, and Argentina collectively account for about 80 per cent of all GMO maize cultivated globally. Outside of North and South America, very few nations have adopted this technology for agricultural use. In Asia, the area dedicated to GM maize remains limited, with only the Philippines and Vietnam currently cultivating it. China has recently begun trials for commercial cultivation but is still in the preliminary stages.
In total, area under GMO maize cultivation in Asia makes up only about 5.0 per cent of global GM maize area. In Africa, only South Africa grows GMO maize commercially. Europe has minimal GMO maize, with most European Union countries having banned it, except for Spain where a small area is grown each year. For about five years, the area under GMO maize has been stagnating in the world.
More importantly, for farmers, non-GMO maize often delivers better returns. Non-GMO corn typically sells at a premium of 15-60 per cent compared to GMO maize. For bulk commodity field corn, the premium ranges from 10-25 percent above GM prices, while for food-grade and specialty non-GMO corn, the premium can reach 30-60 percent due to multiple factors. This price advantage, combined with almost half of the seed costs than GMO and the ability to save and share seed, has made non-GMO maize an attractive choice for many farmers, even though GMO maize offers certain pest management benefits.
The global evidence clearly shows that after three decades, GM maize has not become the universal solution it was once projected to be, and non-GMO production continues to hold strong commercial value and farmer preference across much of the world.
In Asia, Pakistan ranked fourth in maize production after China, India and Indonesia. Without adopting GMO technology, Pakistan’s maize sector has expanded exponentially over the last 15 years. Area under maize rose from 974,000 hectares in 2010/11 to around 1.6 million hectares by the peak of 2022/23, with production growing from 3.71 million tons to a record 10.99 million tons. Yield improved from 3.81 tonnes per hectare to a peak of 6.39 tons per hectare. The jump reflects wider adoption of high-yielding hybrids, expansion of spring maize, and better agronomy, especially in Punjab where yields are highest, showing that maize has become a key driver of country’s cereal growth.
Between 2010-11 and 2024-25, maize production in Pakistan rose by 122 per cent, yield rose 50 per cent and area rose 47.5 per cent. This came from hybrid adoption, not GMO technology. Pakistan’s progress in maize production has been better or comparable to what other GMO countries have recorded. Pakistan’s growth so far is one of the largest non-GMO examples in the world. Notably, spring maize yield of Pakistan is comparable to that of USA -- a top GMO maize country.
With such a resounding success in domestic maize production through conventional means, the question is whether it is a wise decision to go for GMO technology in the country, especially when risk of cross contamination poses serious threat to thriving non-GMO maize.
