GM seeds, not GM foods banned in Gansu city: official  

(ECNS) -- A ban on growing, selling or using genetically modified (GM) seeds in Zhangye, Gansu province, has put the city under the spotlight, according to a Voice of China report.

An official with the city's municipal government said that although the growing and trade of GM seeds was banned in the city, GM foods were still allowed to be sold in Zhangye.

In a document released on Oct. 25, the municipal government of Zhangye said that no organization or company can grow, trade or use GM seeds in the area, which makes it the first city in China to ban the planting of GM crops.

There are some netizens who doubt that the move has been made to preserve the brand image of Zhangye as the major corn producer in China.

The city has long promoted itself as "Golden Zhangye" for its production of corn seeds and organic products. In 2012, corn seed production in Zhangye reached 461,000 tons, accounting for one fourth of the country's total corn seed output.

"The regulation has been issued to promote the safety of agricultural products," according to an official at the agriculture department of Zhangye.

"Departments in Zhangye have reiterated that the ban only applies to the growing, using, and sale of GM seeds, rather than GM foods," said the official.