Genetically modified seeds and the de-commodification of primary goods

Abstract

Primary goods have long been considered undifferentiated products that are subject to a low income elasticity of demand. This state of affairs is beginning to change, but the scale and nature of the process is still being debated. This study contributes to this debate by presenting a historical analysis of the innovation path that genetically modified seeds have been following at the global level. Our analysis reveals that the difficulties preventing the de-commodification process from moving forward do not lie at the technological level, where a series of highly significant product innovations have taken place. Instead, they centre on the great uncertainty generated by this radical innovation that implies new linkages between science and the market, in the context of an increasingly complex consumption pattern.