![China will accept more genetically modified crops [World News]](https://foodcom.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Foodcom_World_News_Global_Stock-1520x760.jpg "China will accept more genetically modified crops [World News]")
- The Chinese government has announced the listing of 17 new grain varieties on the Safe Crop List.
- These include 12 genetically modified varieties and five genome-edited varieties.
- The seeds are to come from both Chinese companies and overseas.
- The goal is to gain greater independence from imports and food-related safety.
New genetically modified varieties approved in China
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has announced 17 new crop varieties that have been granted 5-year safety certificates. The newly approved crops include 12 genetically modified (GM) varieties and five varieties containing edited genes. The latter are considered less risky, as they do not contain genes derived from foreign organisms, but only altered existing genes of a given plant.
Approved varieties include seeds from Beijing’s Dabeinong Feed Group and China National Seed Group. Some GM varieties are imported into China from outside the country, which includes insect- and herbicide-resistant soybeans from the German company BASF, but these are only for processing, not direct consumption.
Why has China decided to accept the new crops?
The new crops include species such as soybeans, corn, wheat, rice and cotton. Modifications within their genes involve increasing yield by altering key plant traits, such as weather and pest resistance. The goal of launching new GM varieties is to increase domestic cultivation, which would reduce China’s dependence on grain imports and help ensure food security. GM varieties, especially when it comes to soybeans and corn, are mainly imported for animal feed, while non-GM varieties are grown for consumption. Many Chinese consumers still have concerns about the safety of consuming crops from GM crops.
