Genetically modified food should be grown and sold widely in Britain and opponents of the technology are talking "humbug", according to the UK Environment Secretary.

Owen Paterson made the remarks amid speculation that ministers were ready to relax controls on the cultivation of GM crops.

Advocates argue the techniques increase crop yields, avoid the need for pesticides, and could be essential in assuring Britain's future food security.

"Emphatically we should be looking at GM ... I'm very clear it would be a good thing," Mr Paterson said. "The trouble is all this stuff about Frankenstein foods and putting poisons in foods.

"There are real benefits and what you've got to do is sell the real environmental benefits."

The Coalition has allowed small-scale cultivation trials for GM food but widespread use is effectively banned.

Some GM products are contained in imported foods, but most supermarkets have banned the ingredients from their own-brand products because of public unease.

However, the Government has run a consultation exercise about new "agri-tech" measures to increase the efficiency of British farms. A formal ministerial response is due next year.

An environmental risk assessment on GM crops, commissioned by Holyrood in 2010, concluded several GM crops could be grown in Scotland in the next five to 10 years, should they be approved at EU level.They include herbicide-tolerant oilseed rape, maize and cereals and blight-resistant potatoes.