Global GM Field Crops Market Size, Share, and Trends Analysis Report – Industry Overview and Forecast to 2032

GM Field Crops Market Analysis

The global GM field crops market is experiencing significant growth, driven by advancements in biotechnology, increasing adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops, and rising demand for high-yield, pest-resistant agricultural solutions. GM field crops such as soybean, maize, cotton, and oilseed rape have been engineered to exhibit traits such as herbicide tolerance (HT), insect resistance (IR), and stacked traits (ST), improving productivity and reducing reliance on chemical pesticides. Innovations in gene-editing techniques, including CRISPR and RNA interference, have further enhanced the precision and efficiency of genetic modifications, leading to the development of drought-resistant and nutrient-enriched crops. Countries such as the U.S., China, Brazil, and Argentina continue to dominate the market, driven by strong regulatory frameworks and large-scale commercial cultivation of GM crops. In addition, approvals of new GM seed varieties, such as China’s 81 GM seed approvals in 2024 and Italy’s first gene-edited rice trial, highlight the rapid evolution of the industry. Despite regulatory challenges and public concerns in certain regions, the growing emphasis on food security, sustainable farming, and climate-resilient crops is expected to propel the GM field crops market forward.

GM Field Crops Market Size

The global GM field crops market size was valued at USD 27.55 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 38.00 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 4.10 % during the forecast period of 2025 to 2032. In addition to the insights on market scenarios such as market value, growth rate, segmentation, geographical coverage, and major players, the market reports curated by the Data Bridge Market Research also include import export analysis, production capacity overview, production consumption analysis, price trend analysis, climate change scenario, supply chain analysis, value chain analysis, raw material/consumables overview, vendor selection criteria, PESTLE Analysis, Porter Analysis, and regulatory framework.

GM Field Crops Market Trends

“Expansion of Gene-Edited Crops Using CRISPR Technology”

One prominent trend in the GM field crops market is the expansion of gene-edited crops using CRISPR technology to enhance yield, resilience, and nutritional value. Unlike traditional genetically modified (GM) crops, CRISPR-based modifications offer precise gene edits without introducing foreign DNA, making them more acceptable in regulatory frameworks and among consumers. A notable instance is Italy’s first field trial of gene-edited rice, RIS8imo, initiated in June 2024, aimed at improving grain quality and disease resistance. Similarly, China’s approval of 81 GM seed varieties in April 2024 reflects the country's push toward biotech-driven agricultural innovation. These advancements align with the increasing demand for climate-resilient crops, which can withstand extreme weather conditions, drought, and pest infestations. As global food security concerns rise, gene-editing techniques are poised to revolutionize the GM field crops market, offering sustainable solutions while addressing public concerns over conventional GM crops.

Report Scope and GM Field Crops Market Segmentation      

GM Field Crops Market Definition

Genetically Modified (GM) field crops refer to agricultural crops that have been genetically engineered using biotechnology techniques to enhance specific traits such as herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, drought resistance, and improved nutritional content. These modifications are achieved through the insertion, deletion, or alteration of specific genes to improve yield, reduce crop losses, and enhance sustainability in farming.

GM Field Crops Market Dynamics

Drivers

• Rising Demand for High-Yield Crops

With the global population projected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, the demand for food is increasing exponentially. Traditional agricultural methods alone are insufficient to meet this growing need, driving farmers and agribusinesses toward genetically modified (GM) field crops. GM crops such as maize, soybean, and cotton are engineered to resist pests, tolerate harsh climates, and improve yield potential. For instance, Bt cotton, which produces its own insecticide to ward off bollworms, has helped farmers in India and China achieve significantly higher yields while reducing pesticide use. This increase in productivity directly contributes to food security and farmer profitability, making high-yield GM crops a crucial market driver. As more countries approve GM crops to ensure food sustainability, the adoption of these enhanced varieties continues to rise, fueling market expansion.

• Increasing Adoption of Herbicide-Tolerant (HT) Crops

Efficient weed control is essential for maximizing crop yields, and herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops have revolutionized weed management practices. GM crops engineered with herbicide tolerance, such as HT soybean and maize, allow farmers to apply broad-spectrum herbicides such as glyphosate without damaging their crops. This simplifies weed control, reduces the need for mechanical tilling, and minimizes labor and fuel costs, making farming more efficient and sustainable. Countries such as the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina have seen widespread adoption of HT crops, with farmers benefiting from lower input costs and higher net returns. In addition, herbicide-resistant crops support conservation agriculture by reducing soil erosion caused by excessive tillage. The growing preference for efficient and cost-effective farming solutions continues to drive the demand for HT GM crops, reinforcing their role as a key market driver in the global GM field crops industry.

Opportunities

• Increasing Government Support and Regulatory Approvals

Governments worldwide are increasingly backing genetically modified (GM) crops to enhance food security and agricultural productivity. Several countries have recently approved new GM varieties for commercial cultivation, paving the way for increased market penetration. For instance, in 2023, India approved GM mustard (DMH-11) to improve oilseed production, while the Philippines greenlit GM cotton for commercial use. Similarly, China has fast-tracked approvals for multiple GM seeds to boost soybean and maize output. Regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are also streamlining approval processes, fostering innovation and investment in biotechnology. This strong government support accelerates GM crop adoption and attracts agribusinesses and biotech firms to invest in research, making regulatory backing a key market opportunity for expanding the GM field crops sector.

• Increasing Climate Change Resilience and Drought-Tolerant Crops

As climate change intensifies, extreme weather patterns, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures threaten global agricultural output. To address these challenges, biotech companies are developing GM crops with enhanced resilience to harsh climatic conditions. For instance, drought-tolerant maize varieties, such as those introduced under the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project, have helped farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa maintain yields despite water shortages. Similarly, heat-tolerant wheat varieties are gaining traction in regions experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations. These innovations enable farmers to sustain crop production in unfavorable conditions, reducing the risks of food shortages and economic losses. The growing need for climate-adaptive agriculture presents a significant market opportunity, as demand for GM crops designed to withstand environmental stress is expected to rise, driving investment and expansion in the GM field crops market.

Restraints/Challenges

• Risk of Pest and Weed Resistance

One of the major challenges in the GM field crops market is the growing resistance of pests and weeds to genetically modified traits, reducing the long-term effectiveness of these crops. GM crops such as Bt corn and Bt cotton, which are engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), were initially successful in controlling pests such as the corn rootworm and bollworm. However, over time, some pest populations have evolved resistance, forcing farmers to use additional insecticides or adopt alternative pest management strategies. Similarly, herbicide-tolerant crops, such as glyphosate-resistant soybeans and corn, have led to the emergence of "superweeds" that no longer respond to glyphosate, requiring farmers to apply higher doses of herbicides or switch to more toxic chemicals. For instance, Palmer amaranth (pigweed) has developed strong resistance to glyphosate in the U.S., posing a significant threat to crop yields and increasing production costs. As pest and weed resistance continues to rise, it challenges the sustainability of GM crop technology and forces the industry to invest in new trait developments, increasing research and regulatory costs.

•  High Research and Development Costs

The development of GM field crops requires intensive investment in biotechnology research, genetic engineering, and field trials, making it one of the most expensive agricultural innovations. Bringing a single GM crop to market involves high costs due to gene identification, laboratory testing, greenhouse trials, field trials, regulatory compliance, and post-commercialization monitoring. For instance, companies such as Bayer (formerly Monsanto), Syngenta, and Corteva invest heavily in GM crop development, but only a fraction of genetically engineered traits successfully reach the market. In addition, patent protection and licensing fees further increase the cost burden for seed companies and farmers. The high RandD expenses create a barrier for smaller biotech firms and developing nations, limiting innovation and restricting competition in the GM crops market.

This market report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import-export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographic expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info on the market contact Data Bridge Market Research for an Analyst Brief, our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.

Impact and Current Market Scenario of Raw Material Shortage and Shipping Delays

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Expected Impact of Economic Slowdown on the Pricing and Availability of Products

When economic activity slows, industries begin to suffer. The forecasted effects of the economic downturn on the pricing and accessibility of the products are taken into account in the market insight reports and intelligence services provided by DBMR. With this, our clients can typically keep one step ahead of their competitors, project their sales and revenue, and estimate their profit and loss expenditures.

GM Field Crops Market Scope

The market is segmented on the basis of trait, crop, technique, and type of modification, and application. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyse meagre growth segments in the industries and provide the users with a valuable market overview and market insights to help them make strategic decisions for identifying core market applications.

Trait

• Herbicide Tolerance (HT)
• Insect Resistance (IR)
• Stacked Traits (ST)
• Other Traits

Crop

• Soybean
• Cotton
• Maize
• Oilseed Rape
• Other Crops

Technique

• Gene Guns
• Electroporation
• Microinjection
• Agrobacterium
• Other Techniques

Type of Modification

• Transgenic
• Cis-genic
• Sub-genic
• Multiple Trait Integration

Application

• Scientific Research
• Agriculture Crops

GM Field Crops Market Regional Analysis

The market is analysed and market size insights and trends are provided by country, trait, crop, technique, and type of modification, and application as referenced above.

The countries covered in the market report are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America.

North America dominates the global GM field crops market due to the widespread adoption of genetically modified crops in countries such as the U.S. and Canada. The region benefits from advanced agricultural biotechnology, strong government support, and favorable regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation in crop modification. In addition, high demand for herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant crops has driven increased cultivation of GM soybean, maize, and cotton. The presence of leading biotech firms and extensive research initiatives further strengthen North America's leadership in this market.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the global GM field crops market, driven by increasing adoption of genetically modified crops to enhance agricultural productivity. Countries such as China, India, and the Philippines are investing in biotechnology advancements to improve crop yields, pest resistance, and climate adaptability. Government initiatives supporting GM crop research and favorable policies for commercialization are further accelerating market expansion. Rising food demand, coupled with a growing focus on sustainable farming practices, positions Asia-Pacific as a key player in the industry's future growth.

The country section of the report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in regulation in the market domestically that impacts the current and future trends of the market. Data points such as down-stream and upstream value chain analysis, technical trends and porter's five forces analysis, case studies are some of the pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, the presence and availability of global brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of domestic tariffs and trade routes are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data.  

GM Field Crops Market Share

The market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies' focus related to market.

GM Field Crops Market Leaders Operating in the Market Are:

• BASF (Germany)
• Syngenta Crop Protection AG (Switzerland)
• Corteva (U.S.)
• Dow (U.S.)
• DuPont (U.S.)
• J.R. Simplot Company (U.S.)
• Mahyco (India)
• JK Agri Genetics Limited (India)
• KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA (Germany)
• Land O'Lakes, Inc. (U.S.)
• Limagrain (France)
• Cibus Inc. (U.S.)
• FMC Corporation (U.S.)
• GenTech Seeds (Australia)
• Laredo Trl (U.S.)
• Nuseed Global (Australia)
• Beijing Dabeinong Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (China)
• Origin Agritech, Ltd. (China)
• Genesis Seeds Ltd (Brazil)
• MEAC (Middle East)
• SENSAKO (South Africa)
• Vilmorin & Cie (France)
• Rijk Zwaan Zaadteelt en Zaadhandel B.V. (Netherlands)
• Sakata Seed America (U.S.)
• Yuan Long Ping High-Tech Agriculture Co Ltd (China)

Latest Developments in GM Field Crops Market

• In June 2024, researchers from the University of Milan initiated Italy’s first field trial of gene-edited crops, testing a new rice variety named “RIS8imo,” a modified version of the Italian Arborio rice commonly used in risotto
• In April 2024, China approved 81 genetically modified (GM) seeds to enhance maize and soybean production, while Indian biotech advancements faced restrictions, causing stagnation in crop yields
• In September 2023, the Philippines approved the canola event LBFLFK for food, feed, and processing, and in March 2023, it granted commercial cultivation approval for the cotton event GFM cry1A
• In October 2022, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) approved the environmental release of GM mustard (Dhara Mustard Hybrid/DMH-11), which was initially developed in 2002, along with its parental crops derived from Indian and Eastern European lines, aiming to achieve higher yields than existing mustard varieties
• In September 2020, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) approved field trials for new Bt-brinjal varieties across eight Indian states, following the initial approval of fruit and borer-resistant Bt-brinjal for commercial cultivation in 2009, which was later placed under a 10-year moratorium due to public concerns

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