FuturaGene’s Eucalyptus Is Approved for Commercial Use in Brazil
The Brazilian National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio) approved the commercial use of the yield enhanced eucalyptus developed by FuturaGene, a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Pulp and Paper. Field experiments conducted since 2006 at various locations in Brazil have demonstrated an approximate 20% increase in yield compared to its equivalent conventional variety.
This is the first genetically modified (GM) eucalyptus event to be approved worldwide and represents the most significant productivity milestone for the renewable plantation forest industry since the adoption of clonal technology in the early 1990’s. This approval also represents the beginning of a new era for sustainable forest management by enabling the production of more fiber, using less resources. Brazil is the first country to complete the development cycle of such a technology.
The yield increase provided by the GM eucalyptus will provide economic, environmental and social benefits. The economic benefits include increased competitiveness for the Brazilian forestry sector. The main environmental benefits derived from using less land to produce more fiber will include lowered carbon emission through the reduction of distance between the forests and the mills, reduced use of chemical inputs and greater availability of land for other purposes, such as conservation and food production.
Partners of Suzano Pulp and Paper’s outgrowers program, including small landholders, who have already benefited from the company´s best seedlings for years, will have access to the technology under terms of current contracts, which do not involve the payment of royalties.
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