In 2011, the country will plant genetically-modified species of maize, cotton and soybean on a large scale, said scientists at a workshop on the global influence of biotechnology-enhanced plants in Hanoi.

“The productivity of each hectare of maize in Vietnam is 4.5 tonnes. If biotechnology is applied, Vietnam’s maize productivity would increase by 28% while the cost would fall a lot,” said Graham Brookes from the British Economic Institute.

In Asia, genetically-modified plants have a higher yield than normal varieties, for example 20% more for soybean, 7% for maize, 15% for cotton, and 3% for colza. Twenty-three countries in the world allow genetically-modified plants. Around 670 products from genetically-modified plants are sold in 53 countries.

In Vietnam, the Agricultural Hereditary Institute has compiled a set of rules on testing and evaluating genetically-modified plants.

Nguyen Quoc Binh, Director of the HCM City Biotechnology Centre, said the centre will grow an anti-pesticide maize variety, a genetically-modified plant from the Philippines, on a trial basis.

According to this centre, this kind of tree can help increase farmers’ incomes by $100/ha/crop compared to normal maize trees though the price of seeds is $20-30/ha higher than for normal seeds.

Vietnam has more than 1 million hectares of maize and if this variety is grown, farmers could earn an additional $100 million/crop (four months).