by PressChina will sell GM seeds of major crops
China announces plans to sell GM seeds domestically
For decades there has been a debate about the safety and benefits of GM foods. While experts claim that GMOs can save the world from hunger, there are rumors among ordinary people about the dangers of genetically modified seeds, meat, and vegetables. In spite of this, some leading countries are actively working to spread GM crops for the domestic market and for sale to other countries.
For example, in early 2023 it became known that the Chinese government is preparing to announce the sale of GM seeds. The sale of Chinese GM corn seeds was scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2023. Earlier, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs held a meeting to review GMO evaluations and consider about 20 types of GM crops.
Now the national GMO industry in China is working on a list of major genetically modified seeds to be released in 2023. After the seed varieties are finally approved, the government will officially announce the sale of 18 varieties of modified crops. In addition, the packaging necessary for the safety and safe transportation of GM seeds is being developed.
Statistics show that during 2017-2022, imports of particularly popular grains in China increased dramatically. During this period, the government imported 86% of soybeans and 4% of corn for domestic consumption. Beginning in 2020, corn imports increased sharply.
In order to reduce the dependence on imports as much as possible, the Chinese government decided to grow GM crops. China hopes for high yield, quality, efficiency, and resistance to adverse external factors.
According to experts, there are now enough factors that affect the food supply not only in China but also around the world. In this regard, the Chinese government has developed a national strategy to achieve independent seed production, for which advanced seed technology has been introduced. Given the high level of industrialization, as well as the capacity of production facilities and the number of specialists, it will not be difficult for China to revive the seed industry.
Experts believe that the gap between supply and demand for crops such as soybeans and corn in China will only increase. This is despite the fact that the yield levels of GM corn and soybeans were once proven. The value of the GM corn seed market is projected to reach 60 billion yuan with 36 billion yuan in self-sale volume with a projected profit of 10.8 billion yuan.