A
Greenpeace report says 24 Chinese
kids have been used for a U.S. GM rice
experiment. (China.org.cn)
|
"The
ministry will punish any companies or individuals who illegally grow or sell GM
grains, and there will be no tolerance for these practices," said a
statement sent to Xinhua on Tuesday by the office in charge of GM food safety
with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).
China
Central Television (CCTV) found GM rice, which is illegal to sell or grow
commercially in China, on sale in a supermarket in Wuhan, capital city of
central Hubei Province, the broadcaster reported on Saturday.
CCTV
commissioned tests on five packs of rice picked at random from the
supermarket's shelves. Three were found to contain a GM variety.
CCTV also
found evidence that GM rice was being sold in neighboring Hunan, Anhui and
Fujian provinces.
While
working to develop modern biotechnology, China has taken a wary approach to GM
crops, fearing possible risks.
It has
allowed several GM crops to be grown, including cotton, peppers, tomatoes and
papayas, and has authorized imports of GM soybeans and corn.
However, it
does not allow commercial production or sale of GM grains, including rice,
although the authorities have approved the experimental planting of two strains
of pest-resisted GM rice.
The safety
certificates issued for this experimental planting in 2009 expire this year,
and commercial production is yet to be started.
Authorities
have stressed that this approval of experimentation does not equate to a
broader official favoring of GM grains.
"The
granting of safety certificates for GM food is not equal to allowing commercial
production," Tuesday's statement quoted an anonymous official as saying.
Approval is
needed for GM crops, be it production of seeds, testing or growing, the
official added.
The
ministry has ordered all provincial agricultural authorities to strengthen
oversight and fight illegal production and sale of seeds for GM crops,
according to the statement.
Chen
Xiaohua, deputy minister of the MOA, said earlier this year that China would
continue to take an "active and cautious" policy toward GM crops and
had set no timetable on the commercial production of GM products.
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