Philippines approves commercial use of genetically engineered rice

This handout photo taken in July 2021 shows golden rice breeder Mallikarjuna Swamy examining golden rice at the IRRI transgenic screenhouse in Los Banos, Laguna province. - AFP

MANILA (Reuters): The Philippines said on Wednesday (Aug 25) it has approved the commercial propagation of genetically modified Golden Rice after more than a decade of field tests that drew strong opposition from anti-GMO activists.

The country, which is one of the world's biggest rice importers, is the first nation to approve the Vitamin A-enriched grain for commercial cultivation, according to the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), which helped develop Golden Rice.