China to allow gene-edited crops in push for food security (updated)

Origin Agritech

25/01/2022 08:38

(Writes through, adds context)
    By Dominique Patton
    BEIJING, Jan 25 (Reuters) - China has published trial rules
for the approval of gene-edited plants, paving the way for
faster improvements to crops as it seeks to bolster its food
security.
    Gene editing - or altering the genes of a plant to change or
improve its performance - is viewed by some scientists as less
risky than genetically-modifying them, which involves
transferring a foreign gene.
    The new guidelines, published by the Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Affairs late Monday, come amid a raft of measures
aimed at overhauling China's seed industry, seen as a weak link
in efforts to ensure it can feed the world's biggest population.
    Beijing has also recently passed new regulations https://www.reuters.com/article/china-gmo-regulations-idINKBN2HZ0D3
 that set out a clear path for approval for genetically modified
(GM)crops.
    But while it has deliberated for years whether to allow
planting of GM crops to feed its people and livestock, it is
ahead of some nations in outlining clear and relatively fast
procedures for gene-edited crops.
    "Given the strong investment of the Chinese government in
genome editing, we expect the release of a relatively open
policy in the coming years," Rabobank wrote in a December
report.
    China's research institutes have already published more
research on market-oriented gene-edited crops than any other
country, it added. 
    The technology's precision makes it faster than conventional
breeding or genetic modification, and also lowers the cost.
    Regulation is also less cumbersome in some countries, such
as the United States, although the European Union is still
reviewing how to regulate the technology.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2MM1GJ
    "This really opens the door for plant breeding. It's an
infinite opportunity to improve crops more precisely and much
more efficiently," said Han Gengchen, chairman of seed company
Origin Agritech  SEED.O .
    The draft rules stipulate that once gene-edited plants have
completed pilot trials, a production certificate can be applied
for, skipping the lengthy field trials required for the approval
of a GM plant.
    That means it could take only a year or two to get approval
for a gene-edited plant, said Han, compared with around six
years for GM ones.
    It is not clear how many companies or institutes are ready
to apply for approval of edited products. 
    Chinese researchers have used gene-editing to create lettuce
seeds rich in vitamin C and herbicide-resistant rice, according
to a Global Times report.  
    China's leadership said in late 2020 the country needed to
use science and technology for an urgent "turnaround" of its
seed industry, which has long struggled with overcapacity and
little innovation.
    China imports a significant share of its vegetable seeds and
wants to reduce its reliance on overseas breeding.   


 (Reporting by Dominique Patton
Editing by Richard Pullin and Mark Potter)
 ((dominique.patton@thomsonreuters.com;))