China’s seed industry at least a generation behind as Western giants enter ‘Industry 4.0 Era’, must increase collaboration
- Overseas seed giants are utilising big data, artificial intelligence and gene editing, with Chinese firms focusing on molecular breeding, the China Seed Association says
- Beijing is pushing for self-reliance in the seed industry to address an over-reliance on seed imports from major exporters like the United States
China’s seed industry is at least a generation behind the Western giants in terms of technology, with a government-backed agency calling for enhanced financial, infrastructural and talent support for domestic suppliers in a rare but candid assessment of the sector.
The China Seed Association, backed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, last week also encouraged firms to expand international collaboration efforts.
“Overseas seed giants have entered the ‘Industry 4.0 Era’ utilising big data, artificial intelligence and gene editing, while Chinese seed suppliers are still in the transition stage to the ‘Industry 3.0 Era’ primarily focusing on molecular breeding,” the report said.
The call came amid Beijing’s growing push for self-reliance in the seed industry, which is billed as the agriculture version of semiconductors, but is also seen as a weak link in China’s overall food security drive.
Chinese seed companies are more focused on a single crop or related technology and services
