GM crops given less room to grow
Print Edition
CHINA’S genetically modified crop planting areas fell last year amid heated discussions over safety concerns, a study revealed yesterday.
Farmers grew 3.9 million hectares of GM cotton in the year, a drop of 300,000 hectares from 2013, according to a study by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
The drop was attributed to low prices and high stockpiles.
GM papaya growing areas rose almost 50 percent year on year to about 8,500 hectares. Southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region joined Guangdong and Hainan provinces to plant the disease-resistant species.
Cotton and papaya are the only items China approves for GM production. Production of GM staple foods is forbidden, though the country is a major importer of GM farm produce.
China was the sixth-largest GM crop grower globally last year, according to the study.
GM technology has long been a controversial issue. Supporters believe it can increase yields on marginal lands, reduce chemical use and help make foods richer in vitamins. But opponents argue GM crops have uncertain long-term effects on human health and the environment.
China remains cautious about large-scale production of GM crops. The Ministry of Agriculture recently reiterated its stance on the issue, saying a line must be drawn between research and production.
“We need to be daring on scientific research and innovation, but very prudent on production,” said ministry spokesman Bi Meijia.
Just two GM rice species hold ministry safety certificates and neither are allowed to be grown for commercial purposes.
However, some farmers secretly plant genetically modified rice and some of the produce was sold in supermarkets in central China’s Hubei Province. The rice has since been taken off shelves.
In a bid to keep consumers well-informed, the government has adopted a mandatory labeling catalogue covering 17 GM food items under five categories, namely soybean, oilseed rape, corn, cotton and tomato.
The European Union is also careful about GM crops and only Monsanto’s insect-resistant corn is approved for commercial use in the region.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization supports a science-based evaluation system that would objectively determine the benefits and risks of each individual genetically modified organism.
“This calls for a cautious case-by-case approach to address legitimate concerns for the bio-safety of each product or process prior to its release,” said Percy Misika, the organization’s representative in China.
Despite the decline in China, the ISAAA data showed global planting area of GM crops grew about 6.3 million hectares last year from 2013.
A record 18 million farmers in 28 countries planted 181.5 million hectares of GM crops last year.
Global cultivation grew by more than 100 times from 1.7 million hectares in 1996, when GM technology began to be commercialized.
The United States, Brazil and Argentina ranked the top three GM crop growers in 2014.
“Biotechnology is the fastest adopted crop technology in the world,” said ISAAA emeritus chair Clive James.
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