LAHORE: CropLife Pakistan has warned that continued delays in approving Genetically Modified (GM) maize hybrids could undermine Pakistan’s food security, export competitiveness, and the long-term sustainability of the country’s maize-based industries.
Discussing the issue with the Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA) on Monday, representatives of CropLife Pakistan argued that the objections raised by certain stakeholders fail to acknowledge Pakistan’s rapidly rising domestic maize demand, growing pest pressures, and stagnating yield trends.
According to them, Pakistan’s maize acreage has expanded from 1.0 million hectares to approximately 1.5 million hectares over the past decade, lifting national production to slightly over 10 million tonnes. Without this increase in cultivated area, national output would have peaked around 6.5 million tonnes forcing annual imports in the range of 2–3 million tonnes grain that is overwhelmingly GM in the global market.
They pointed to global and domestic trial data demonstrating significant productivity gains associated with GM hybrids. Citing National Uniform Yield Trials (NUYT), they said yield advantages ranging between 10 percent and 46 percent for GM maize over conventional hybrids were recorded. Even a modest 10 percent yield improvement, they said, could add 1 million tonnes of additional grain equivalent to USD221 million available for domestic consumption, poultry feed formulation, or export diversification.
They also challenged the claim that Pakistan is not facing pest threats in maize production, stating that Fall Army Worm, corn earworm, stem borer and aggressive weed species pose substantial risks to productivity. Scientists estimate yield losses of up to 50% if such pests go unchecked. GM maize, by incorporating insect-resistance traits, offers continuous protection at all crop stages, eliminating the need for multiple pesticide applications, particularly after tasseling when spray penetration becomes difficult and costly.
Over potential export losses, particularly for the rice sector, CropLife claimed that maize is biologically incapable of cross-pollinating with rice or other cereals. “There are natural reproductive barriers between different crop species,” the document stresses, adding that Pakistan’s decade-old cultivation of BT cotton has not resulted in GM contamination of any other crop, including rice.
About trade disruption fears, CropLife representatives said country-wise export data for major commodities show that all major markets, such as the EU bloc, China, Malaysia, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, currently import GM-derived food and feed ingredients. Only a small group of countries, including Russia and Kenya, apply GM restrictions; even then, Pakistan’s export volumes to these markets remain minimal and can be served through targeted non-GM contract farming.
Responding to fears of monopolisation, they said three multinational companies already possess approved GM maize technologies in Pakistan, while the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) has also developed a local GM event available for licensing. This ensures ample competition, as observed globally, where local and international firms coexist in GM seed markets. They also countered the narrative that GM seed would undermine local industry, stating that local companies currently supply only 8–20 percent of maize seed due to climatic limitations particularly during spring, when inbred lines cannot withstand high temperatures and disease pressure.
On bio-safety, CropLife cites global regulatory consensus, including assessments from the World Health Organisation, European Food Safety Authority, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and Australia-New Zealand Food Authority, all of which confirm that approved GM crops are “as safe as their conventional counterparts.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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