Consumer Acceptance and Willingness to Pay for Genetically Modified Rice in China

Over the past decade public perception of GM food in China has become increasingly contentious. Concerns have emerged with regard to public health, environmental safety, and economic impacts. This paper utilizes a survey conducted in 2013 to evaluate China’s urban consumers’ acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for genetically modified rice. The survey was conducted in thirteen of the main rice consuming provinces of China. Responses from 994 consumers are used to estimate WTP for GM rice relative to non-GM rice. A double bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method is used to estimate consumers’ WTP for GM rice products. The effect of socio-demographic characteristics of consumers on acceptance and WTP is also reported. The survey design includes different information treatments for GM rice: no specific rice trait information, environmental/producer trait information (Bt rice), consumer health trait information (Golden rice) and stacked environmental/producer plus consumer health traits information. For the three specific rice trait information treatments, the risks and benefits information were reordered for the half of the respondents. The main result of the study is that a majority of Chinese urban consumers require a large discount to be willing to pay for GM rice regardless of rice trait and information treatment. Compared to previous studies, Chinese consumers’ WTP and attitudes on GM rice have become more negative.