Ministry Denies Nod on Transgenic Seed Imports

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture refutes recent media reports that its watchdog agency has approved imports of genetically modified (GM) food seeds for large-scale cultivation in China, the People's Daily reported.

The ministry has authorized four GM crops' imports -- cotton, soybean, corn and kale -- but only as raw materials for industrial production rather than breeding seeds for cultivation, said the unnamed official with the ministry's GM Safety Management Office.

What may have prompted the rumored green lights on GM seed imports and cultivation is the ministry's recent seed safety certifications on three genetically engineered crops C a corn breed coded "BVLA430101", pesticide-resistant rice "Huahui No.1" and hybrid rice "Bt Shanyou 63".

However, the official clarified that the ministry's nod last August, coming after a marathon trial period of six to 11 years, doesn't constitute a green light on GM seed imports or large-scale cultivation, which would require further authorization, a production license and an operation license. The process of obtaining the latter two also requires a lengthy test.

China, the world's largest consumer and exporter of rice, will need about 630 million tons of rice a year by 2020, when its population is estimated to top 1.6 billion.