The first group of companies in China was licensed to produce GMO soybean and corn seeds

Chinese authorities have issued licenses to 26 domestic seed companies to produce, distribute and sell genetically modified corn and soybean seeds in some provinces. This paves the way for widespread commercial cultivation of GMO grains.

Among the companies mentioned in the notice from China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs are Beijing Dabeinong Technology (002385.SZ) and China National Seed, now owned by Syngenta Group.

In addition to them, enterprises operating in the main grain-producing provinces of Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin and Inner Mongolia received a license.

This group of companies became the first in China to receive licenses for the production and commercialization of genetically modified corn and soybeans. This information was reported by the Glocon Agritech Institute for Collaborative Innovation.

Despite caution regarding GMO technologies, Beijing is confidently moving forward in opening its own market. Since 2019, more than a dozen genetic changes in crops have been approved.

Thus, China, the world's largest buyer of soybeans and corn, is seeking to reduce its dependence on imports, which amount to more than 100 million metric tons per year for animal feed.

Commercial cultivation of genetically modified varieties will help increase yields and could significantly reduce purchases of soybeans and corn in the United States and Brazil.

Chinese plant breeders are preparing to plant about 670,000 hectares of genetically modified corn in eight provinces next year, according to three industry sources. This is twice as much as in 2023.

However, Beijing is expected to strictly control the GMO production sector. In 2023, large-scale trials of genetically modified soybeans and corn were conducted, which, according to the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, showed “outstanding” results and proved the safety and necessity of this biotechnology.