Philippines approves GMO 'golden rice' for commercial production

Philippines approves GMO 'golden rice' for commercial production

The Philippines became the world's first country slotxo to approve the commercial production of genetically modified "golden rice" that experts hope will combat childhood blindness and save lives in the developing world.

A biosafety permit issued by government regulators paves the way for the rice - enriched with the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene to make it more nutritional - to be grown by farmers across the country, its developers said.

"It's a really significant step for our project because it means that we are past this regulatory phase and golden rice will be declared as safe as ordinary rice," Russell Reinke of the Philippine-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) told AFP ahead of the announcement.

The next step was to "take our few kilos of seed and multiply it ... so it can be made more widely available", he said.

IRRI has spent two decades working with the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute to develop golden rice - named for its bright yellow hue.

It is the first genetically modified rice approved for commercial propagation in South and Southeast Asia, officials said Friday.

Golden rice has faced strong resistance from environmental groups opposed to genetically altered food plants. At least one test field in the Philippines was attacked by activists.

Despite passing the final regulatory hurdle, the rice is still a way off appearing in food bowls.

"Limited quantities" of seed could start to be distributed to Filipino farmers in selected provinces next year, Reinke said.