China to expand GM corn, soybeans trials amid rising food-security focus as Beijing seeks to dispel public safety concerns
- Hebei, Jilin, Sichuan, Yunnan and Inner Mongolia will play a role in expanding a trial of genetically modified (GM) corn and soybeans
- Higher output from China’s GM crops could potentially lower its imports of corn and soybeans from the likes of Brazil and the US
China will expand a trial of genetically modified (GM) corn and soybeans to 20 counties across five provinces, with food security increasingly becoming a top priority for Beijing.
Hebei, Jilin, Sichuan, Yunnan and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region will play a role in expanding a trial that started with testing soybean fields in 2021 before being expanded to farms in Inner Mongolia and Yunnan the following year.
“Agricultural GM technology has played an irreplaceable role in increasing crop yields, reducing losses from pests, diseases and weeds, and reducing the use of chemical pesticides and saving labour costs,” the ministry said.
Safety is the foundation and precondition for the industrialisation of genetically modified varieties
The coronavirus pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine conflict, as well as ongoing international tensions, have raised food security concerns in China, which is the world’s largest consumer of food.