In a significant “turnaround,” the Chinese government is overhauling regulations in the seed industry to clear a path for commercial growing of genetically modified corn.
The planned revamp, fortified by the Communist Party’s goal to develop a modern seed industry, was announced in December. The revisions mean that several recently approved GM traits could be ready for market in a year.
“It’s a big step,” said Liu Shi, a vice president of Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co Ltd., the firm likely to launch commercial GM corn in China.
Once approved, China could grow 81.5 million acres of GM corn. New rules stipulate that on approval, a GM trait can be incorporated into an already approved corn hybrid with a mere one-year trial to verify safety.
Dabeinong’s insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant corn could be sold by Spring, 2023.
Source: Reuters
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Organic & Non-GMO Insights February 2022
