21 Dec 2013

GM corn crop rejected by China

8:10 am on 21 December 2013

China has rejected 545,000 tons of imported US corn found to contain an unapproved genetically modified strain.

The product safety agency said an unapproved strain called MIR162 was found in 12 batches of corn.

China allowed its first imports of a genetically modified crop, soybeans, in 1997, and is trying to develop others that produce bigger yields or can resist insects without use of pesticides.

The BBC reports 15 varieties of genetically-modified corn for imports have already been approved and MIR162 is awaiting approval.