The Express

Nation Must Protect GM Crops Say Biotech Giants

It is already talking to the Environment Department about how to carry out tests without protesters ripping out the crops.

Details emerged after a spate of attacks on GM crops around the country. Three of the six farm-scale trials have already been wrecked and scores of smaller trials have also been trampled.

However, in the wake of opinion polls showing that the public does not want the trials, it was claimed yesterday that a new strain of genetically modified rice could save 400 million people from malnutrition.

The rice, which has had genes inserted in it from other plants, produces extra vitamin A - the lack of which is a major cause of illness in the Third World. Swiss scientists announced that they have genetically modified rice grains to improve the supply of vitamin A, and also iron, in the human diet.

Leading researcher Professor Ingo Potrykus told The Express yesterday that the rice would be distributed free to Third World farmers within two years, once health and environmental tests had been carried out.