Genetically modified (GM) farm produce of various types has been planted and sold in Ho Chi Minh City though the government has yet to approve a regulation on the issue, according to the Quality Assurance and Testing Centre 3 (QUATEST 3).

A recent report by the centre showed that one-third out of the 323 samples of agricultural products including corn, soy, rice, and tomato in 17 markets, supermarkets and retail shops in HCM City are genetically modified.

Almost half of the 95 tested samples of corn are genetically modified with expired dates, with nine being imported from Thailand, Singapore, US, Australia, and China.

However, most tested samples were not labelled as GM products, raising concerns over poor management by local authorities, the centre said.

The report also revealed that several kinds of GM crops like corn and rice have been planted in Vietnam even though they have not been permitted by local authorities.