墨西哥每日報：幾年前中國就有人開始非法傳播轉基因大米種子。在中國，2009年底只有兩種主要糧食作物的轉基因品種得到了事先批準。這一情況引發了對食品安全這一敏感話題的討論。其中一種尚未得到商業化許可的轉基因品種來源于美國轉基因巨頭孟山都公司，但現在已經在農田中開始種植。

    1月，中國農業部還表示中國沒有在嚴格受控的實驗范圍以外種植任何品種的轉基因糧食。但4月底環境保護部負責人表示，根據中國四部委的聯合調查，中國多地出現了非法的轉基因種子，這是監管不力導致的后果。

    歐盟食品安全機構網站上顯示，2006年至2011年歐盟國家曾115次發現了用來自中國的轉基因大米生產的食品。

    2005年以來一起在披露中國存在轉基因大米種子問題的綠色和平組織，去年在湖北、湖南、江西等中國內陸省份的市場上相繼發現了轉基因家作物。

    中國已經批準了一些轉基因農作物的種植，如棉花和某些品種的蔬菜及水果（甜椒、西紅柿各木瓜等），甚至也包括楊樹。此外還為家牧業進口轉基因大豆和玉米。

    但大米是個敏感話題，三分之二的中國人每天都要吃大米。5月初在一個高層研討會上，中國知名家學專家佟屏來痛批了一些科學家拿老百姓當成實驗鼠的做法。

    他指出，中國不需要轉基因大米，因為大米產量足夠滿足需求。在2010年3月全國兩會召開前，百名專家聯名寫信反對批準轉基因主糧的種植。此外，專家們還呼吁針對轉基因農作物展開公眾討論，并為轉基因大米貼注標簽。

附：法新社報道全文GM rice spreads, prompts debate in China

鏈接到法新社的全文http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h7rQ-BdQROIKybQuBqHZs_ID_RhQ?docId=CNG.b0834d5f7f2d0a1c3d343e3121f3c2fa.f1

By Boris Cambreleng (AFP) – 6 days ago

BEIJING — Genetically modified rice has been spreading illegally for years in China, officials have admitted, triggering a debate on a sensitive aspect of the food security plan in the world's most populous nation.

Two strains of GM rice were approved for open-field experiments but not commercial sale in 2009. In January, the agriculture ministry said "no genetically modified cereals are being grown in China" outside the test sites.

But in April, an environment ministry official told the weekly Nanfang Zhoumo that a joint investigation by four government departments had found that "illegal GM seeds are present in several provinces because of weak management".

The agriculture ministry did not respond to an AFP request for clarification.

According to the website for the European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, European countries found foodstuffs from China containing GM rice 115 times between 2006 and May this year.

The campaign group Greenpeace says GM rice seeds have been in China since 2005, and were found at markets in Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces last year, Fang Lifeng, a Chinese agriculture specialist with the group, told AFP.

Beijing is pro-biotechnology and has already allowed several GM crops to be grown, including cotton, peppers, tomatoes and papayas, and has authorised imports of GM soya and corn for the food industry.

But rice -- the key staple in the diet of the country's more than 1.3 billion people -- is a much more sensitive question.

"Two-thirds of Chinese eat rice every day," said Tong Pingya, a highly respected agronomist who blasted Chinese scientists for "treating the people like guinea pigs" at a conference in May chaired by Vice-Premier Li Keqiang.

"China does not need this genetically modified rice, as it produces enough and even exports a bit," Tong told AFP.

When the National People's Congress, China's rubber-stamp parliament, met last year, around 100 researchers wrote to deputies asking them to revoke authorisations for the use of experimental GM grains, including a strain of corn as well as the two rice types.

They also demanded a public debate and clear labelling of products containing genetically modified organisms.

Backers of GM rice argue that it is more drought-resistant, offers better yield, and -- in the case of the variety containing the Bt gene -- allows pesticide use to be dramatically cut.

"It should be possible to authorise commercialisation around 2012-2013, but the state will probably not allow them to be used on a wide scale" in the near future, said Ma Wenfeng, a grain market analyst with the consultancy CNagri, which has links to the agriculture ministry.

According to Ma, the new varieties represent "an advance in biotechnology" and will ultimately be accepted.

For their part, environmentalists and some Chinese scientists warn against the as-yet unknown long-term consequences of using GM rice for biodiversity and human health.

Whether using them is in farmers' interests is an open question, according to Greenpeace's Fang, because "GM seeds cost two to five times more than ordinary seeds" and "in terms of yield, there isn't really a difference".

GM rice strains developed in Chinese laboratories also raise questions about intellectual property.

The Bt gene is patented by the US agribusiness giant Monsanto, which could demand royalties and compensation from China if that variety is commercialised.

× 烏有之鄉 WYZXWK.COM

您的打賞將用于網站日常運行與維護。
幫助我們辦好網站，宣傳紅色文化！

歡迎掃描下方二維碼，訂閱烏有之鄉網刊微信公眾號