February 9, 2015
China''s embrace of GM crops
China is on its way to fully embracing genetically modified crops, judging from its latest pronouncement that it is embarking on more research into GMO [genetically modified organism].
This was seen coming after it approved in late December imports of the genetically modified
corn Viptera developed by
Syngenta, the genetically modified Pioneer soy variety Plenish developed by
DuPontand the CropScience soy variety LL55 Liberty Link of
Bayer.
However, agriculture officials said GM corn, soybeans and other farm produce from other countries should not dominate the China GMO [genetically modified organism] market.
Thus, after decades of discouraging non-GM technologies, the officials told a news briefing last week that Chinawould be putting more efforts into the study and development of genetically modified crops.
They pointed out the need for GM crops due to the country''s "limited agricultural resources". The acceptance of GM crops, they said, would go hand in hand with educating the public about the benefits of GMO.
"GMO technology is very promising and we must stand on top of GMO research as China has quite limited agricultural resources," Han Jun, deputy head of the Office of Central Rural Work Leading Group, said in the news briefing.
"Our GMO market should not be saturated by foreign brands…. China, a big country with 1.3 billion people and its agricultural development facing increasingly serious environmental constraints, cannot afford to fall behind in research of GMOs", he added.
The briefing was held two days after it released China''s "first policy document" which, for the 12th straight year, tagged agriculture as the country''s first priority for development. Special focus is on modernising farms in the rural areas to increase small farmers'' incomes and deal with food-safety issues.
At present, China approves only the production of GM cotton and papaya and bans commercial production of any GM staple foods.
A major importer of GM soybean, rapeseed, cotton and corn, China imported over 70 million tonnes of soybean last year, of which the bulk was genetically modified, Han said. However, the edible crops could only be processed into edible oil and animal feed.