Democracy Today.indb - Universidade do Minho

elaboration of tinned food, juices and other products created with the
fruits and vegetables of the region is also consolidated.
Taking into account the commercial nature of Murcia’s agriculture,
new techniques that increase the rhythm of production have proliferated
from the eighties. The number of greenhouses has specially
increased in contrast with the traditional vegetables gardens. This kind
of culture represents already 1/6 of total fields (100.000 ha).
179
Figure 1. Evolution of cultivation in greenhouses (1978-2004) [1]
FEDERALISM, DIRECT
DEMOCRACY AND THE
QUALITY OF PUBLIC
DELIBERATION: THE
GMO DEBATE
José Luis Egío
Even if the technique is nowadays very important in the region, at
the end of 2009, Murcia didn’t product any GMO. It is very important
to mention that until Mars 2, 2010, when the European Commission
authorised the culture of Amflora potatoe (BASF), the only GMO
culture allowed in the EU was maize MON810. Production of maize
in particular and other cereals in Murcia is much reduced and is
decreasing in the last years. This fact is very important to understand
why Murcia has been almost preserved from the introduction of GMO
technology in recent past.
1
Source: “Atlas de Murcia”, Diario La Verdad, http://www.atlasdemurcia.com/index.php/
secciones/2/la-agricultura/