China cites low public support for suspension of GM soybean import

China has suspended the import approval process for a genetically-modified soybean variety, citing "low public acceptance" of GMO food, according to two sources.

It is the first time that China’s Ministry of Agriculture has cited public opinion as a reason for delaying approval of a GMO crop, the sources said.

The decision could fuel wider agribusiness concerns over an increasingly tough environment for GMO crops in China.