China will start a nationwide investigation of suspect illicit cultivation of genetically modified crops in the country, announced the Ministry of agriculture.

The investigation decided to start after the official financial report of the newspaper this week that the field of GM soy was found in the main region of production of these oilseeds.

China is the main world's largest buyer of GM soybeans, but Beijing denies domestic cultivation of GM crops, despite the fact that spent billions of funds for research.

However, some farmers in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang produce GM soy is illegal to obtain higher yields, said this week China Business Journal.

In the report it is reported that near the town of Suihua grow GM crops, but they don't have more details. The local Department of the province for agriculture announced that it is also investigating, do GM crops in this region.

Opponents of genetically modified crops have long accused the Ministry of agriculture of China in a poor monitoring of GM crops in the tests, arguing that the seeds sold to farmers for cultivation. According to some, last year GM rice was produced in approximately 20 provinces in China.

Heilongjiang, which produces about a third of the total soybean production in the country, known for producing protein-rich conventional varieties of soybean used in the production of food products, including tofu and soy sauce.

China exports approximately 200,000 tons of soybeans a year, mainly to South Korea, Japan and the USA.

The Ministry earlier this year revised the regulations to strengthen the control of biotechnology products in development against the background of increased public interest in its ability to exclude illegal GM food from the food chain.

The port authority also struggles with illegal sales cheap GM varieties of food companies, especially in the Northern province of Shandong, the largest distribution center for imported soybeans.

Source: Thomson Reuters