China plans to issue biosafety certificates to domestic GM soybean, corn (updated)

Origin Agritech

30/12/2019 12:44

(Adds background, details, industry comments)
    By Hallie Gu and Shivani Singh
    BEIJING, Dec 30 (Reuters) - China's agriculture ministry
said on Monday it plans to issue biosafety certificates to a
domestically grown, genetically modified (GM) soybean crop and
two corn crops, in a move towards commercializing GM grain
production in the world's top market.
    China will grant the certificate to SHZD32-01 soybean
developed by Shanghai Jiaotong University, provided there is no
objection during a 15-day period soliciting public opinion, the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement. 
    If approved, it will become China's first GM soybean crop to
receive such a certificate, a first step towards commercialized
production. 
    Dabeinong's  002385.SZ  DBN9936 corn and double-stacked 12-5
corn developed by Hangzhou Ruifeng Biotech Co Ltd and Zhejiang
University were also expected to receive the certificate.
    Beijing has spent billions of dollars researching GM crops,
but has held back from commercial production of any food grains
because of consumer concerns about their safety.
    China granted biosafety certificates to its first GM corn
varieties and two domestic rice varieties in 2009, but has never
moved to commercialize these crops.
    Some in the industry believe Beijing's most recent move
could mean that China is ready to start commercialization of
some domestic GM crops. 
    "This signifies the policy changes from the central
government as China is moving to commercialize GMO corn," said
James Chen, chief financial officer of Origin Agritech Limited
 SEED.O  
    "GMO corn commercialization would benefit Chinese farmers,
especially those in northeastern China," Chen said.  
    Origin Agritech received biosafety certificates for its
phytase GM corn trait in 2009 and has several new varieties of
GM corn in the pipeline for biosafety approval, including insect
resistance and glyphosate tolerance double-stacked traits.
    China has said it aims to push forward the commercialization
of GM corn and soybeans by 2020. Beijing has long approved
imports of these products.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N20G3U3 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2940MZ
    "If the government actually issues the certificate, it will
be significant progress," said another source with a major
developer of GM crop strains in China.
    "But it really depends on whether the crops can be
commercialized in the end," added the source, who declined to be
named as he was not authorized to speak to the media.  

 (Reporting by Hallie Gu and Shivani Singh; Editing by Louise
Heavens and Jan Harvey)
 ((Hallie.Gu@thomsonreuters.com; +86 10 56692120; Reuters
Messaging: hallie.gu.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))