China to allow planting of GM corn, wheat

 

 

After Beijing invested an extra US$3.5 billion for research on genetically-modified rice, corn and wheat, transgenic commercial production of these three major grains may have a chance in China, a Chinese researcher and pro-GMO group said on Monday (February 23).

 

Huang Dafang, a researcher with the Biotechnology Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences said China's research showed insect-resistant rice and corn was technically ready for commercial production which was likely to get approval first. But GM wheat was not yet ready.

 

 

ISAAA said biotech rice alone, already developed and field tested in China, can increase food availability and net income by about US$100 per hectare, which will benefit 440 million farmers and consumers.

 

State media reported on Monday that Chinese farmers used about 300,000 tonnes of pesticides a year for their rice crop, worth more than 5 billion yuan (US$732 million).

 

Though he did not give any timetable, Huang said corn, which is used mainly for feed use, might have an easier path to approval than rice, China's staple.

 

China already grows GM papaya, tomatoes and pepper and is one of the world's largest growers of GM cotton.

 

The first likely GM grain allowed in China is corn which helps animals such as pigs digest more of the phosphorus in corn, enhancing growth and reducing environmental phosphorus pollution via animal waste and fertiliser runoff.

 

China is the world's largest pig producer and consumer.

 

Global plantings of genetically modified corn, soy and other crops grew 9.4 percent last year as economic challenges spurred growing political will to adopt biotech crops that help farmers fight weeds, pests and crop diseases, said ISAAA.

 

More than 13 million farmers in 25 countries planted 125 million hectares, or 308.8 million acres, of biotech crops last year, up 9.4 percent from 2007, it said.

 

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