China GM Rice
19 02 2008China is back in the news again, this time for GM rice. Greenpeace claims to have found genetically modified rice imported into the UK. The rice is known as Bt63 which apparently was grown in China and is illegal in Europe as well as China. Because of these events the European Commission has decided to implement a new rule effective April 1, 2008 that will require all food products that contain Chinese rice to require mandatory certification that it has been tested for the experimental GM rice.
China now appears to be stepping up its work on GM development. They are aware of the fact that as China develops it will displace land that once went to agriculture. China which has to feed 1 out of every 5 is concerned if disease set in or some other calamity they would be facing a very difficult situation. The solution for China is easy - the development of transgenics.
In China, unlike democratic countries, the people have no choice, as all decisions are made at the government level. The Chinese people are aware of GM products as illustrated in a recent survey taken in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing were 65% of the people, who were familiar with GM said they preferred conventional food.
The article goes on to cite that as America was the leader in GM in the last decade we are now approaching the Asian Decade as China steps up its pursuits of transgenic development. The wheels have been set in motion.
Technorati Tags: Noon International, GM, genetically modified, transgenic
