In Depth: How China Took Another Step Forward on Genetically Modified Farming

An agricultural expert examines genetically modified wheat at a test field in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 15, 2020. GM crops are already grown on a large scale in food-exporting countries such as the United States, Brazil and Argentina. Photo: VCG

It’s been over a decade since China first granted approval for the commercial production of insect-resistant cotton and disease-resistant papaya. But while many of the worlds’ top crop producing countries have been busy since the turn of the century letting businesses grow genetically modified seeds and crops, China’s top policymakers have held back.

China’s plans to permit the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops have this year finally taken a step forward.

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