China ranks sixth in the world in GM crop area

The global planting area of genetically modified crops reached an all-time high in 2014, with China ranking sixth with 3.9 million hectares, according to a report released today by the International Agricultural Biotechnology Application Service. Experts appeal that the approval process of genetically modified varieties in China needs to be clarified.

According to Clive James, honorary president of ISAAA, the international agricultural biotechnology application service organization, the global planting area of genetically modified crops reached a record 181.5 million hectares in 2014. Among them, China has planted 3.9 million hectares of GM crops, the adoption rate of GM cotton has increased by 3 percentage points to 93%, and the planting area of virus-resistant papaya has increased by about 50%. With the accession of Bangladesh, genetically modified crops have been planted in 28 countries, covering more than 60% of the world's population.

Clive James: over the past 20 years, on average, GM technology has increased crop yields by 22%, reduced pesticide use by 37%, and increased farmers' net profits by 68%. In terms of output and profits, developing countries have increased more than developed countries.

At the end of last year, MIR162 genetically modified corn, which had been commercially grown in the United States, had been reviewed and approved to be imported into China; two kinds of transgenic insect-resistant rice developed by the rice team of Huazhong Agricultural University once again obtained the safety certificate of agricultural genetically modified organisms issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. However, industry insiders say frankly that the process of commercialization of GM crops in China has stalled, and even if a safety certificate is obtained, GM crops have to undergo variety approval and obtain production licenses and operating licenses in turn before they are allowed to enter the market. Huang Dafang, a researcher at the Institute of Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said bluntly that the current regulation of genetically modified crops needs to be simplified and clear.

Huang Da Fang: we should take four steps for safety approval and one step for foreign countries. Variety approval we have to get the safety certificate for at least three years, is it a safety issue? It's the management program. How to approve the variety after the safety certificate, this detailed procedure has not been issued so far.