China, the world’s largest importer of corn and soybeans, is gradually expanding the use of agricultural biotechnology. In 2025–2026, the country is showing a clear policy shift — from importing genetically modified crops solely for feed processing to developing large-scale domestic commercial production of GM corn and soybeans. The strategy aims to strengthen food security and reduce dependence on imported feed supplies.
According to recent reports, China’s GM corn acreage increased nearly fivefold in 2025 to about 3.3 million hectares. Although this represents only around 7% of the country’s total corn area, the rapid expansion highlights strong government support for biotechnology as a tool to lower meat and feed production costs. By comparison, GM corn adoption exceeds 90% in the United States and Brazil.
A key milestone was reached when China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) issued biosafety certificates in late 2024 and early 2025 for 17 new crop varieties, including GM soybean, corn, and cotton, as well as gene-edited crops. In November 2025, a third round of seed production licenses was granted to 42 companies, including Beijing Dabeinong Technology and Syngenta Group subsidiaries.
At the same time, the rollout of GM crops has faced challenges. Some farmers reported yield declines of 10–20% during early field trials, which were linked to varieties not yet fully adapted to local soil and climate conditions. Consumer skepticism also remains, prompting the government to maintain strict controls on GM crops intended for direct human consumption.
Economic factors remain a major driver of the policy shift. Feed ingredient costs in China have traditionally been nearly twice as high as in the United States or Brazil, making the broader adoption of GM crops an important tool for reducing costs across the food production chain.
In the long term, China aims to increase annual grain production to more than 770 million tons and significantly reduce soybean and corn imports, which currently exceed 100 million tons per year. Experts expect biotechnology to become a central pillar of the country’s agricultural and food security strategy by the end of the decade.
