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USDA: Hong Kong agricultural biotechnology 2014
Jul. 23, 2014
Hong Kong is one of the U.S.’s fastest growing major agricultural export markets. Hong Kong ranked as the 4th largest market for U.S. high-value consumer-ready food and beverage exports totaling $3.45 billion in 2013. In the first 4 months of 2014, U.S. high-value consumer-ready agricultural exports to Hong Kong reached $946 million, increasing 20 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2013.
There have not been any significant changes with respect to Hong Kong’s biotechnology policy over the last year. The latest development is that the HKG will launch public consultation on mandatory pre-market safety assessment scheme for GE foods in 2014, which was initially scheduled for 2013. The current thinking is to exercise control at import level. According to the available information, the application for assessment is to be done by biotechnology companies. Therefore, there should be no impact on individual U.S. exporters and trade. No timetable is set for the implementation of the scheme.
While there are occasional voices in certain sectors of the community such as consumer and green groups calling for mandatory labeling of GE foods, the HKG has ruled out such an initiative at the moment on the grounds that there is no international consensus. Instead, the government encourages the trade to comply with the voluntary guidelines which were introduced in 2006.
The HKG started to implement its Genetically Modified Organisms (Control of Release) Ordinance and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Documentation for Import and Export) Regulation in September 2011 in order to observe the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Ordinance and Regulation stipulate import documentation requirements for products containing living modified organisms (LMOS). Also, prior approvals are required for products containing LMOs which are intended to be released into the environment. U.S. agricultural and food exports to Hong Kong are not impacted because there are minimal, if any, U.S. exports of LMOS to Hong Kong for release into the environment.
In connection with the Ordinance is the establishment of the Genetically Modified Organisms Register which lists the application and approval status of LMOs intended to be released into the environment. The Register shows no production of GE plants in Hong Kong. However, GE papaya is grown in Hong Kong. Given the prevalence of GE papaya production in backyard farms, this GE crop is exempt from the application and approval requirements of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Control of Release) Ordinance. Therefore, GE papaya, though planted in Hong Kong, is not listed on the Register.
Source: USDA
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