Hybrid-rice pioneer Yuan Longping backs genetically modified foods

Genetically modified foods increasingly backed by officials and experts as way to feed growing population, but many consumers doubt its safe

Reading Time:3 minutes

Published: 5:15am, 12 Jan 2014Updated: 6:43am, 12 Jan 2014

Yuan Longping inspects a trial plantation of hybrid rice. Photo: Xinhua

China's "father of hybrid rice", Yuan Longping, says he is working with researchers on rice that has been genetically modified - a controversial technology but one that might help the mainland meet its agricultural goals.

"GM is the future. We should not generalise about whether it is harmful," Yuan said in a video about food safety posted recently on the news portal Tencent.

But s urveys suggest that many Chinese consumers, like those elsewhere, remain sceptical of GM foods, or at least believe they are entitled to know whether the food on their dinner table uses the technology.

An online poll of about 900 people conducted by a Shanghai doctor showed that more than 40 per cent of respondents had doubts about GM food, and 25 per cent believed it was unsafe.

Dr Tao Nali, of the Shanghai Municipal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the percentage of doubtful consumers should be higher in reality because those who took the survey were mostly better-educated and were more open to the new technology. In an earlier survey by the People.com.cn news portal in October, 91 per cent of respondents said they would not consume GM food.

The central government has launched a media campaign it hopes will promote public understanding and acceptance of the new technology. But even some provincial governments are at odds with the official policy.