China is known as a country that already integrated GMO cotton seeds in the regular production so it comes as no surprise to find out that they are considering using GMO soy beans in the next five years in order to boost the production of the said plant. The agricultural sector is looking to reform the production methods and they want to include more research in the entire process.
The five year development plan encourages manufacturers who are already growing pest resistant corn to plant soybeans on their fields as well, switching between the crops in order to yield more product that will be ready for both animal and human consumption. As a matter of fact, China depends a lot on soy production due to the fact that this crop is used in everyday diets of a large number of citizens.
Besides using soy beans for soy milk and tofu production, China is known for exporting soy all around the globe. They already produce large quantities of this plant and it does require plenty of work in terms of protecting the crops against various pests and diseases. Using pest resistant seeds will save a lot of money that is typically spent.
Having in mind that the United States already use GMO soy plants for both human and animal consumption, China’s decision is completely justified. It is a long term plan that will allow the researchers to further examine the effects of the crops and it will open more doors to scientific development.
Huang Dafang who works as a professor at the Biotechnology Research Institute which is a part of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences claims that even though growing GMO soy beans is among the priorities in this five year plan, it will likely take a backseat and the production of pest resistant corn will continue to be a priority since corn is more commonly used for feeding animals and livestock. Therefore, China will continue planting and producing more non GMO soy beans in the future. The public trusts the manufacturers and GMO soy might receive a huge backlash from the consumers. Non GMO soy beans are more expensive and it seems that the consumers are willing to pay a bit more in order to get the natural product they desire.
On the other hand, if China plans on feeing their livestock with soy beans, it is clear that they need to spike up the production. The best way to do so is to try planting pest resistant soy crops. The GMO corn seems to be completely harmless to the animals and testing the soybeans in the same environment will most likely bring positive results.
Since corn is used for manufacturing various sweeteners and other products that are used in human diets, it is more likely that the mass production of this plant will remain a priority for many manufacturers. But let’s wait and see what will happen with the China’s five year plan and will they start with the mass production of pest resistant soy beans as they initially planned.