South Africa will relax some of its tough rules on genetically modified crops so it can ramp up maize imports from the US and Mexico to avert a potential food crisis amid a severe drought, officials said. Almost 90% of maize in South Africa is genetically modified and the country bans commodities with strains not approved by the government and does not allow imports to be stored, stipulating they must be transported immediately from ports to mills.Makenosi Maroo, spokesman at the Department of Agriculture, said yesterday that the government planned to permit importers to temporarily store consignments of GM maize, to allow much bigger import volumes."In anticipation of the volumes expected, the (GMO) executive council has approved the adjustment of a permit condition which relates to the handling requirement," Maroo said.The government, however, did not say when the rule changes would come into effect or whether they would be permanent.The worst drought in a century has scorched swathes of crops, affecting about 2.7million homes in Africa's most advanced economy, where shortages of white maize could reach crisis proportions soon if rains do not fall, analysts say. ..