In a race to further develop the Chinese country side and increase the agricultural production, the Chinese Ministry for Agriculture announced plans to professionalize the seed industry following the No. 1 Document on Agricultural S&T Innovation in 2012.
R&D focus will be on the creation of new varieties of rice, wheat, corn, soybean, potato and 15 varieties of ‘cash crops’ according the development plan by the General Office of the State Council. Emphasis of the research is on creation of drought and pest-resistant seeds. “But also on the taste of the agricultural products” according Lu Bu, a researcher in agricultural resources and regional planning at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Besides R&D investment on breeding of new varieties, the seed market will be reformed to be more competitive, transparent and eventually undertake more scientific research. Meanwhile, China saw 25 registered joint ventures and foreign-owned companies in its seed market including several innovative Dutch global top seed companies.
China is in urgent need for drought resistant seeds (source: asianews.it)
source: China Daily 29/1