China to change labelling of foods that use genetically modified crops BELGIUM

China, which was previously against the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops, approved the planting of 37 GM maize seeds and 14 GM soya bean seeds in OctoberȲ2023, in a bid to improve food security and self-sufficiency in the country.

In March this year, the Chinese government approved an additional

27 GM maize and three GM soya bean varieties for planting. Last year alone, around 267 000ha of GM crops were planted as part of trial projects.

To date, China has also approved the planting of GM papaya and cotton seed for commercial production.

Now, in a bid to give Chinese consumers the “option of choice”, as reported by stateowned news agency The

Paper, the government is changing its food labelling laws.

The new laws, as reported by Nasdaq, would require that manufacturers disclose if a product contains GM material exceeding 3% of the mass of the product.

This was applicable to staple crops, such as soya bean, maize and canola, amongst others.

Previous rules required mandatory labelling as long as the product contained any, or was processed from, GM crops.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs emphasised that the labelling of GM products is to protect consumers’ right to know and right to choose,” Nasdaq reported.

The Paper explained that GM products “that have been approved for marketing have passed safety evaluation and obtained safety licences, and there are no problems with its safety”.

According to Nasdaq, China mostly imported GM crops such as maize and soya bean for animal feed and grew non-GM varieties for food consumption. However, the Chinese government was pushing for the planting of GM crops to improve its self-sufficiency in staple crops.

Despite this, Nasdaq reported that Chinese consumers expressed some concern about the consumption of GM crops. – Farmers’ protests in Brussels have reached new heights as one individual set fire to a subway station. Law officials used tear gas and water cannons to keep the protesters at bay.

Police said farmers threw beetroots, sprayed manure at the police and set hay on fire close to the EU headquarters in protests that have been ongoing since the beginning of the year due to the EU’s ‘green’ policies.

Some protesters had been arrested for throwing Molotov cocktails at law officials, and Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said those who had been arrested would be met with the full might of the law as violence, arson and destruction were unacceptable.

FW ARCHIVE China approved an additional 27 varieties of GM maize for planting in March.