Our Perspective
Cotton Production in Australia: Reaping the Benefits of Rapid Adoption
By Whitney Sparks
Posted about 1 month ago
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Australian farmers were among the world's first to see the potential of biotechnology. Since 1996, farmers on this arid continent have grown insect-resistant cotton, which has increased Australian cotton farm incomes by $15 million in 2007 and by $244 million since 1996.
Today, biotech cotton production makes up more than 90 per cent of the land area planted to cotton. This rapid rate of adoption has allowed farmers in the region to maintain competitiveness in the global cotton export market.
Built-in efficiencies
Overall, biotech cotton has helped Australian farmers reduce fuel costs, labor costs and increase their incomes. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARE) reports that managing crops with biotech traits is generally easier and less time consuming than traditional varieties. Biotech crops have also reduced the number of annual sprays required, which further reduces labor, machinery and fuel costs.
Biotech cotton allows farmers to switch to broad-spectrum herbicides, which provide more flexibility in cropping decisions. Planting can be determined on a season-by-season basis, without locking fields into set crop rotations (Norton 2003).
Fewer pesticides
In Australia, biotech cotton provides savings to farmers through reduced labor and fuel costs and reductions in the time spent in the field applying pesticide. Twelve years ago, many Australian cotton farmers relied on pesticide applications, accounting for more than 40% of variable costs on a farming operation and nearly $200 million/year.
During the last decade, the application of innovative biotechnology has provided a foundation for the rapid adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, which in turn have helped reduce overall insecticide use by 85 percent.
Reduction in Pesticide Application in Australia, 1996-2007 (Source: CSIRO)
A bright future
Cotton continues to fuel a strong, innovative agricultural sector in the land down under. Currently, scientists are working to create biotech cotton varieties with improved fiber quality, disease resistance and yield improvements.
For additional information, please see the following resources:
Cotton Australia fact sheet; biotechnology
Cotton case study from Australian government
Agrifood Awareness Australia cotton resource guide
