China Cuts the Number of GMO Crops it Will Import

China is reducing the number of GMO crops it’s willing to import. Despite not allowing the cultivation of GM crops, the country has been approving certain GM crops for import such as soybeans. However, last year Beijing approved only one GM crop to add to the approved list – down from three in prior years.

This downward trend does not bode well for the U.S., which is the world’s top producer of GM crops, or for international biotech companies such as Monsanto. It also reinforces the Chinese public’s wariness.

The approval process for GM crop imports into China takes approximately six years, compared to three years in other major markets, with approvals being announced only once per year – a process that could result in the slowing of new GM crop launches worldwide.

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