Hainan refuses to name growers of illegal GM crops   

海南拒公布非法转基因种植者

海南省农业厅近日在其官网上发布通告说，去年12月底即发现13家单位种植的15个样品呈转基因阳性，其中玉米12个，棉花3个。哪些科研单位或者企业在违规种植转基因作物？针对这一问题，海南省农业厅新闻发言人赵咏望回应称，不便透露。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Hainan province has refused to reveal details about the illegal planting of genetically modified (GM) corn and cotton after nine samples out of 107 specimens were identified as GM, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The spokesman for the local agricultural department Zhao Yongwang refused to name enterprises that had planted GM food. Some samples are still under investigation, he explained, and it is not their duty to disclose information relating to GM food inspection.

"We issued the statement in consideration of public concerns," Zhao said. "The agricultural ministry will release the names of the planters."

As to doubts about whether nearby crops had been contaminated, Zhao responded that it was "unclear." The samples came from small trial farms and the seeds are unlikely to enter the market, he added.

GM trials require strict conditions, including walls no shorter than three meters and individual drainage facilities to achieve species segregation, the report cited an unnamed resource as saying. If not, the consequences will be serious, as the trial lands are located in a large breeding base, it said.

More than 700 enterprises go to the base for research and trials every year. Zhao said it is "complicated" to explain how illegal GM trails could be done there and it is "hard to ban them."

All the discovered GM crops were destroyed immediately in late December, news outlets reported, citing a statement from the Hainan provincial agriculture department.

 

Hainan confirms destroying GM plants found on research fields

(ECNS) -- The agriculture department of Hainan province confirmed that they found and destroyed nine types of genetically modified (GM) plants, including corn and cotton, growing in research fields. <More>