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.
GM corn and soybean showed a very high resistance against grassland pests and weeds, increasing yields by 5.6 to 11.6 per cent, the ministry added.
The ministry cited numerous examples to urge residents to dispel their doubts and refuted long-standing rumours that GM food may cause cancer and infertility.
“Safety is the foundation and precondition for the industrialisation of genetically modified varieties … GM food products that have passed approval for marketing are safe,” it said.
Focus on more domestic soybean production amid China’s self-sufficiency drive
The ministry also pledged to increase legal supervision of the GM breeding industry to safeguard food safety and industrial order, while also promoting pilot schemes.
“I think China is long overdue for a disinformation drive on genetically modified foods, and public resistance has been the main reason for China to promote GM crops,” said Zhu Zhen, a researcher at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
“We have already heard early on that China is going to promote GM soybeans and corn.”
Zhu added a low self-sufficiency for corn and soybeans has driven China to turn to GM technology, which is actually less harmful than pesticides.
In the future, we may see China apply GM technology to vegetables, fruits and more new varieties
“In the future, we may see China apply GM technology to vegetables, fruits and more new varieties,” Zhu added.
Beijing has been working in recent years to increase its self-reliance for soybeans and corn to reduce the risk of food “chokepoints”, including bottlenecks posed by trade wars.
Last year, China’s soybean imports from the United States and Brazil, its two major importers, fell by 10 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, according to the General Administration of Customs.
GM will become more prevalent in China based on the country’s shortfall in demand for corn and soybeans
“GM will become more prevalent in China based on the country’s shortfall in demand for corn and soybeans,” according to a research report by Tianfeng Securities in November.
According to the report, GM technology could help China increase corn yields by between 7 and 17 per cent and reduce pesticide use by 60 per cent.
Its wider adoption would also benefit China, which has a widening gap between supply and demand for corn and soybeans, meaning it is likely to become more dependent on overseas markets.
Bean there, but not done yet: China soybean output hits record 20 million tonnes
Beijing introduced a seed revitalising programme in 2021 to safeguard the self-reliance of seed sources and also launched a three-year nationwide agricultural germ plasma resource census plan.
In the same year, the agriculture ministry announced a plan to raise the country’s self-sufficiency rate of core livestock and poultry seed breeding sources to above 75 per cent, compared to the previous 2025 target of 70 per cent.
It also approved a domestic white-feathered chicken, and in June, China exported it for the first time.
