Enterprises which fail to label genetically modified (GM) products they produce or sell will face punishment, farming authorities in Beijing have announced.

The Beijing Agricultural Bureau (BAA) launched a month-long inspection on genetically modified farming products on July 21, urging GM food producers and sellers to label the products.

The national regulations governing GM farming products, which took effect on March 20, 2002, prescribe that all products made from or containing GM materials should be labeled.

However, some GM products on the Beijing market were found not to bear such labels.

A check on 22 products in March this year showed that all were GM products but none were labeled.

BAA officials said products and earnings of enterprises in violation of the regulations will be confiscated, with an extra fine ranging from 10,000 yuan (1,200 US dollars) to 50,000 yuan (6,024 US dollars).