Vietnam will trial genetically modified (GM) corn for animal feed early next year and then possibly breed GM corn plants for local farmers, an expert said Monday.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, executive vice director of the Biotechnology Center of Ho Chi Minh City, said local farmers would only be allowed to grow GM corn if, after two years of the experimental crops, GM corn was found to be biologically and environmentally safe.

Vietnam cannot plant GM corn now because no biological safety regulations have been issued by the government, Binh said on the sidelines of the “Biotechnology: Growing the Future” seminar, co-organized by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the Biotechnology Center.

Initially, GM corn would most likely be imported from the Philippines, which has a similar climate to Vietnam, Binh said. Local breeds of GM corn would later be developed, he said.

If Vietnamese farmers plant GM corn, they could earn US$100 a hectare more than what they earn from normal corn, Binh said.

Currently, Vietnamese farmers harvest nearly four tons of normal corn per hectare, while American farmers get nine to 11 tons per hectare of GM corn, Binh said.

Vietnam imports about $500 million worth of corn each year. The nation is expected to need about 5.5 million tons this year, demand that is forecast to rise to eight million tons in 2010.

This year the country is expected to grow about four million tons.