Illegal GM rice in China

GREENPEACE has uncovered GM rice, unapproved for human consumption, that appears to have been planted and sold illegally in China for the last two years.

The Chinese government has not authorised commercial planting of GM rice and has to date permitted only field testing.

But Greenpeace says it appears GM rice is being sold, planted, consumed and possibly exported in China, one of the largest exporters of rice in the world.

Local farmers in the Hubei province tipped off Greenpeace‘s investigators several months ago.

Subsequent investigations by the Greenpeace team found samples of rice seed and unmilled and milled rice containing GM strains.

Evidence was collected from seed companies, agriculture extension stations, farmers, rice millers, wholesalers and retailers.

The results were tested by the international laboratory GeneScan, which confirmed the presence of transgenic DNA in 19 samples.