Beijing, China
January 8, 2009
USDA/FAS GAIN report CH9001
Report Highlights:
China’s planting seed
supply for its main crops, including grain (rice, wheat, and
corn), oilseeds (soybeans, rapeseed, and peanut), and cotton
in MY08/09 is expected to be sufficient with surplus for
hybrid corn and rice varieties. Imports of seeds for
vegetable and fruit/melon are expected to continue growing
in MY08/09, while imports of grass and sunflower seeds are
forecasted to decline due to shrinking market demand and
abundant
supplies. Three new seed standards came into effect in 2008.
In July 2008, China announced an additional $3 billion in
state support for the development of agricultural
biotechnology over the next 15 years.
Executive Summary
China’s planting seed
supply for its main crops, including grain (rice, wheat, and
corn), oilseeds (soybeans, rapeseed, and peanut), and cotton
in MY08/09 is expected to be sufficient with surplus for
hybrid corn and rice varieties. In MY08/09, hybrid corn and
rice seed stocks are expected to decline, and prices are
forecast to increase. Imports of seeds for vegetables and
fruit/melon are expected to continue growing in MY08/09,
driven by both the diversified demands of domestic consumers
and vegetable exports. While imports of grass and sunflower
seeds are forecast to decline due to shrinking market demand
and abundant supplies. China’s sunflower seed imports
declined 29 percent in volume ; this decline is expected to
continue due to shrinking acreage. China’s seed exports are
forecast to continue growing in MY08/09 due mainly to
China’s low cost structure for seed breeding operations.
China’s hybrid rice seed (Rice Long Grain, H.S. 10061011)
exports in MY07/08 increased 33 and 69 percent in volume and
value respectively, mainly as a result of the hybrid rice
acreage expansion in Indonesia.
The national policy on foreign investment in the seed sector
still prevents any investment by foreign enterprises in the
genetic engineering (GE) planting seed sector, while
investment for “main crop” varieties is limited to a
minority share. There have been no new amendments to China’s
Seed Law. Three new seed standards came into effect in 2008.
In June 2008, the State Council of China released “Outline
of the National Intellectual Property Rights Strategy”,
which defined new plant varieties as one of the major
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) areas for protection. In
July 2008, China announced an additional $3 billion in state
support for the development of agricultural biotechnology
over the next 15 years.
Full report:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200901/146327010.pdf
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