China Ranks Sixth in the World in Genetically Modified Crop Planting Area

A report released today by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications shows that in 2014 the global planting area of genetically modified crops hit a record high, with China ranking sixth at 3.9 million hectares. Experts call for China's approval process for genetically modified varieties to be clarified.

Clive James, honorary chairman of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), said that in 2014 the global planting area of genetically modified crops reached a record 181.5 million hectares. Of this, China planted 3.9 million hectares of genetically modified crops, the adoption rate of genetically modified cotton rose by 3 percentage points to 93%, and the planting area of virus-resistant papaya increased by about 50%. With Bangladesh joining, 28 countries around the world now grow genetically modified crops, covering more than 60% of the world's population.

Clive James: Over the past 20 years, on average, genetically modified technology has increased crop yields by 22%, reduced pesticide use by 37%, and increased farmers' net profits by 68%. In terms of yields and profits, developing countries have seen greater increases than developed countries.

At the end of last year, MIR162 genetically modified corn, which had already been commercially planted in the United States, passed review and was approved for import into China; two kinds of insect-resistant genetically modified rice developed by the rice team at Huazhong Agricultural University once again obtained agricultural genetically modified organism safety certificates issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. But industry insiders admit that the commercialization process of genetically modified crops in China is stalled; even after obtaining safety certificates, genetically modified crops still need variety approval and must successively obtain production licenses and business licenses before they are allowed to enter the market. Huang Dafang, a researcher at the Biotechnology Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said bluntly that current regulation of genetically modified crops needs to be simplified and clarified.

Huang Dafang: For safety approval we have to take four steps, while abroad it is one step. For variety approval, after obtaining the safety certificate we still need at least three years. Is this a safety issue? It is a management procedure issue. How varieties are approved after the safety certificate, this detailed procedure has still not been issued to this day.