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China shelves commercial production of GM rice again

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-02-26 10:39

A Chinese national committee for safety of genetically modified (GM) food has shelved the commercial production of GM rice in November 2006, at least the fourth time since 2004, theBeijingTimes reported Saturday.

Related readings:  China prudent in GM farm produce

"The application was rejected because some safety-related data were missing," said Lu Baorong, member of the State Committee for the Safety of Agricultural Transgenic living Things.

He, however, revealed that a pest-resistant GM rice has been given the go-ahead to be put into experimental production, the last step before a security pass could be granted.

The debate on the pros and cons of GM food has been waging on for years in China, as it is the case worldwide.

Huang Jikun, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said the GM rice is good for the environment and farmers as it could reduce pesticide use by 80 percent and increase yield by six percent.

"Our tests on the safety of GM rice have been going on for six years. The GM rice has proved to be safe," he said.