March 8, 2011

 

China's GM corn hits policy snag

 

China's first strain of genetically modified (GM) corn is facing policy deadlock and may take years before it can be planted, a Chinese researcher said Monday (Mar 7).

 

China gave the phytase corn safety approval in late 2009, and at the time scientists said they expected large-scale production could happen as early as 2012.

 

The GMO approval means the corn is safe to use as animal feed. But the strain also needs clearance as a new seed type under Chinese rules that apply to genetically modified organism (GMO) and non-GMO alike.

 

Although this was no problem for GM cotton, which does not enter the human food chain, the GM corn has hit a problem because there is no regulation covering corn seed intended exclusively for animal feed production.

 

"For the GM corn, it is partly used for food. There is a disconnection with the regulations," said Chen Rumei, a researcher with the Biotechnology Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

 

A seed must undergo regional trials before it can go through China's seed registration procedure, which may take 3-5 years, before commercial production.

 

Phytase corn was designed to solve an environmental problem rather than for higher yields, chen said.

 

However, seed approval depends on a seed's ability to improve yields by at least 3%, or in some areas up to 8%. The phytase corn was based on a high yield seed, but makes no claim to improving yield. It helps pigs digest more phosphorous, enhancing growth and reducing pollution from animal waste by 30%, Chen added.

 

"We have to coordinate with government authorities... and if the policies can go through properly, we hope it could be planted commercially in the coming five years," said Chen.

 

"For China in particular, with a relatively lower amount of acreage to feed a growing population, the (GM) technology is even more important," said Clive James, chairman of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications.

 

He expected phytase corn would help double China's GMO acreage to seven million hectares by 2015 but the growth depended on the government pushing forward with implementation.