China to review eight kinds of US GMO crops in move that could spur seed sales

China’s promise to evaluate eight varieties of US genetically modified crops by the end of this month under a trade deal marks a step forward in a years-long process that has held up seed sales in the United States, the world’s top grains exporter.

Every new variety of GMO crop has to win approval in export markets before it can be sold there.

China’s review covers crops grown from seeds developed by major agrichemical companies, including Monsanto, Dow Chemical and DuPont , the US Commerce Department and the companies said on Friday. They have been stuck in the Chinese approval process for up to six years.

Dow AgroSciences said Chinese approval would be key to the roll out of its new Enlist corn and soybeans seeds in the United States, where over 90 per cent of corn is genetically modified.

China was the top export market for US agriculture products, valued at over US$21 billion, in 2016 and is the world’s biggest buyer of soybeans. It has roiled markets and sent prices sliding in the past when it has taken a tough line on imports of certain GMO products.

In November 2013, China began rejecting US corn shipments because Chinese inspectors said they contained a GMO corn variety made by Syngenta AG called Agrisure Viptera. The variety was approved by the United States but not China.