AgBioForum, vol. 05, no. 4 (2002)
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Special issue: Agricultural Biotechnology in China. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the contents of this issue.
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Item Is China the Market for Genetically Modified Potatoes?(AgBioForum, 2002) Curtis, Kynda R.; McCluskey, Jill J.; Wahl, Thomas I.Major food companies have refused to use genetically modified (GM) potatoes in their processed potato products for fear of consumer backlash resulting from anti-GM food attitudes in Europe and Japan. However, recent findings conclude that consumers in China appear more positive about GM foods and that China may be an attractive market for GM products including GM potatoes.Item Issues on Adoption, Import Regulations, and Policies for Biotech Commodities in China with a Focus on Soybeans(AgBioForum, 2002) Marchant, Mary; Fang, Cheng; Song, BaohuiChina is a key player in global agricultural markets. Soybeans are an important commodity for both the United States and China, whereby China is the leading global importer of soybeans and the United States is the leading global exporter. Soybeans are also ranked as the United States' number one export for bulk agricultural commodities, with China as the leading import market for US soybeans. As of 2003, 81% of soybeans planted in the United States were transgenic. Thus, changes in China's biotech policies will significantly impact soybean trade between the United States and China. An understanding of the evolution of China's biotech regulations and factors that mayinfluence China's future biotech policies is crucial for both US producers and policymakers. This article introduces the development of China's biotech regulations in detail. Focusing on soybeans, we assess the impacts of China's biotech policychanges on US trade with China. Finally, we identify factors that may affect China's future stance on biotechnology.Item Bt Cotton Benefits, Costs, and Impacts in China(AgBioForum, 2002) Huang, Jikun; Hu, Ruifa; Fan, Cuihui; Pray, Carl E. (Carl Esek); Rozelle, ScottThe overall goal of this research is to reexamine findings of earlier efforts that analyzed the effect of Bt cotton adoption in 1999 with two follow-up surveys conducted in 2000 and 2001. Our survey data on yields and econometric analyses indicate that the adoption of Bt cotton continued to increase output per hectare in 2000 and 2001 and that the yield gains extended to all provinces in our sample. More importantly, Bt cotton farmers also increased their incomes by reducing their use of pesticides and labor inputs. Finally, survey data show that Bt cotton continues to have positive environmental impacts by reducing pesticide use. Additionally, we provide evidence that farmers have fewer health problems because of reduced pesticide use. We conclude with evidence that China is not unique and that there are lessons for other developing countries.Item Consumer Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Foods in Beijing, China(AgBioForum, 2002) Li, Quan; Curtis, Kynda R.; McCluskey, Jill J.; Wahl, Thomas I.A consumer survey in Beijing, China, was conducted in August 2002. Although the majority of surveyed consumers reported that they had little or no knowledge of biotechnology, their attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) foods was generally positive, especially for GM foods with product-enhancing attributes. Using dichotomous choice contingent valuation methodology, Chinese consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for GM rice and GM soybean oil in our sample was positively affected by respondents' positive opinion toward GM foods for both products and by higher levels of self-reported knowledge for soybean oil. However, for GM rice, WTP was negatively affected by the respondent's age--the older respondents were less likely to choose GM rice. These results imply that, unlike Europe and Japan, there is a potential market for GM foods in China. GM food producers and exporters can use this information to design effective marketing strategies.Item GM Foods : A Nanjing Case Study of Chinese Consumers' Awareness and Potential Attitudes(AgBioForum, 2002) Zhong, Funing; Marchant, Mary; Ding, Yulian; Lu, KaiyuThis article provides insights on Chinese consumers' awareness of and potential attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) foods and identifies major factors influencing these attitudes as assessed by telephone interviews in the city of Nanjing. Additionally, a preliminary analysis of Chinese media reports on GM foods was conducted for the 1995-2001 time period in Beijing and Shanghai. These media reports serve as an important source of information that may influence consumers' attitudes. Results indicate that the majority of Chinese consumers surveyed had little knowledge of GM foods, that almost all surveyed consumers thought that GM foods should be labeled, and that media attention on GM foods has increased since the late 1990s in both frequency and the number of negative articles.