China has approved its first shipment of genetically modified Argentine corn, Buenos Aires said on Tuesday.

Argentine Agriculture Minister Norberto Yauhar said Chinese health authorities cleared 60,000-tonnes of genetically modified (GMO) Argentine corn. The cargo was already headed inland to be used as hog and chicken feed.

Benchmark Chicago corn futures fell briefly after Reuters reported on the shipment. Argentina competes for market share with the United States, the No. 1 world corn exporter. But CBOT corn futures, which were already depressed due to good U.S. crop weather, ended the session mixed.

Argentina is the world's No. 3 corn and soybean exporter, as well as its top supplier of byproducts such as soyoil and soymeal. China is already a major buyer of Argentine soy.

China is seen by corn futures traders as a wild card in their attempt to pencil in specific price projections.

Most Argentine corn is genetically modified. A small amount was allowed into China late last year as a test case under a China-Argentina GMO deal signed in February 2012.

There is broad scientific consensus that food on the market derived from genetically modified crops poses no greater risk than conventional food. However, advocacy groups argue the risks of GMO food have not been adequately identified.