Transparency and public discussion needed in GM food management

The research team led by Robert Finger and Nadja El Benni conducted a mega analysis by reviewing evidence on the socio-economic impacts of GM crops, and found that GM crops can lead to yield increases and reductions in the costs of pesticide use, but the seed costs are usually substantially higher. More importantly, “benefits of GM crops are very heterogeneous between countries and regions, particularly due to differences in pest pressure and pest management practices.”

The output of GM soy bean, for example, is 30 percent higher than non-GM soy bean in Romania, researchers have found. But in Argentina, it increased by only 8.2 percent, while it decreased by 8.6 percent in Brazil and 12.7 percent in the US. Meanwhile, seed costs have increased significantly in those countries.

Those statistics show that safety concerns aside, economically, GM grain may not necessarily be the best option for China. It should take more time and field trials to prove that economically, at least, it is in China’s best interest to commercialize the planting of GM crops.

Before that, it is advisable for agricultural officials to be more cautious and withdraw unswerving support for planting GM crops and importing GM grain. Reckless endorsement can only backfire by drawing more public criticism.

Given public concerns about the safety of GM food and the fact that GM crops may not have higher yields, authorities must strengthen management to root out unauthorized farming of GM crops.

At least legally, China has banned planting of GM grain, such as rice, which is the source of most Chinese people’s daily diet. China has only allowed trial planting of rice.

However, the EU has rejected Chinese exports of rice products many times, citing contamination by GM rice. The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health — a group of national officials from the EU member states — adopted an emergency measure in 2008 to impose controls on Chinese rice products entering the union.

Media reports show that the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, as a result of the EU control, organized a special training course on testing of GM elements in rice exports to the EU in 2012.

It is apparent that illegal planting of GM rice has become a serious problem in the country, calling for stricter controls from regulators.

The Ministry of Agriculture vowed during the just-concluded national legislative session that such illegal planting and sales of GM rice are intolerable. However, such a vow cannot disperse public concern why GM rice ingredients have been found frequently in exports to the EU.

It needs real action to show the public that it is serious about its official policy of rooting out the illegal planting of GM crops.