Expert Analysis: How Should We Win the Battle to Revitalize the Seed Industry?

The Two Sessions of 2021 took place at a pivotal juncture: on the one hand, we have realized the age-old dream of eradicating poverty and embarked on the path of rural revitalization; on the other, we are confronting a period of profound change unseen in a century.

Under these circumstances, ensuring food security and safeguarding agricultural production have become among the most pressing priorities. Among these efforts, the seed industry stands out as the linchpin. This year’s Central Economic Work Conference, the Central Rural Work Conference, the No. 1 Central Document, and the Government Work Report all underscore the need to mount a decisive campaign to revitalize the seed sector and address the “bottleneck” issue in seed resources. So how exactly should we fight this battle to turn the tide in the seed industry? And how can we break free from the constraints on seed sources? To explore these questions, a reporter from The Beijing News invited two experts—Liu Luxiang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Crop Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Hou Shuisheng, Chief Scientist of the National Waterfowl Industry Technology System—to analyze the current state of the seed industry and discuss its future prospects.

Seed industry self-reliance is more important today than ever before.

Seeds are the “chips” of agriculture and the foundation of food security. “Securing seeds means securing the key to food security, which is why the seed industry receives such high priority,” said Liu Luxiang.

China is a populous country of 1.4 billion people, and food security must remain firmly in our own hands. Over decades of development, China has transitioned from food scarcity to ample food supply, with the seed industry making an exceptionally vital contribution. As Liu Luxiang put it, “China’s total grain output has remained stable at around 650 million tons for many years, and the per capita annual grain availability exceeds 470 kilograms. Among these achievements, advances in breeding and improvements in seed varieties have been among the most critical foundations.”

“Food is not only a fundamental necessity for human survival but also a cornerstone of improving living standards,” said Hou Shuisheng. “The increase in total food production and the enhancement of food quality are both closely linked to the seed industry. Take livestock and poultry production as an example: since the reform and opening-up, China’s overall output has grown manyfold. In the early days of reform and opening-up, the average annual egg consumption per person was less than one kilogram; today it stands at around 18 kilograms. Similarly, per capita annual milk consumption was once below three kilograms, whereas it has now risen to over ten kilograms. The reason we emphasize the importance of the seed industry today is that it underpins our food supply, nutritional security, and food safety—basic safeguards that are essential to our well-being.”

Since 2020, under the impact of the pandemic, imports and exports of grain and livestock and poultry varieties have been significantly affected, further underscoring the importance of achieving self-reliance in the seed industry. “In the face of such a major epidemic,” Hou Shuisheng said, “we have come to appreciate even more the critical role that varietal security plays in production.”

The development of the seed industry has ensured food security.

China has achieved 100% self-sufficiency in its two major staple crops—wheat and rice—and also boasts a 100% rate of seed self-sufficiency. “At present, our food supply is absolutely secure; it is fair to say that China’s grain is grown with Chinese seeds.”

How have we achieved self-sufficiency in staple food production and seed supply? Liu Luxiang told reporters, “Over the past several decades, the yields of wheat and rice—our two major staple crops—have increased by roughly 100 kilograms per hectare every 10 to 20 years. This progress is closely linked to the relentless efforts of Chinese scientists to advance breeding programs for these crops. Of course, such breeding work is the result of multifaceted collaboration. For example, the collection and utilization of genetic resources, as well as the breakthrough in hybrid rice, can be traced back to the 1970s, when a male-sterile wild rice plant was discovered in Hainan. This discovery served as a catalyst, spurring rapid advances in China’s hybrid rice breeding program.”

Similar efforts are underway across many fields, Liu Luxiang explained. “We have a team of scientists dedicated to collecting germplasm resources; they tirelessly gather diverse genetic materials throughout China and around the world—some by searching in the wild, others through international exchanges. At present, China operates the second-largest crop germplasm bank globally, which already houses 520,000 accessions and continues to grow at a rate of 20,000 per year. Meanwhile, a new germplasm bank is under construction; once completed, it is expected to accommodate up to 1.5 million accessions.”

The rapid and efficient development of livestock and poultry production has also been driven by breed improvement. According to Hou Shuisheng, “Over the past four decades, China has achieved a series of breakthroughs in livestock and poultry production. In terms of output, the country now produces more than 60 million tons of pork, over 17 million tons of chicken, and more than 11 million tons of duck annually. Among these meats, the commercial pigs raised for pork are largely bred from domestically developed breeding stock. As for chicken, yellow-feathered broilers—which account for half of the market—now rely entirely on domestically sourced breeding lines; white-feathered broilers, once wholly imported, have also made significant progress. In the duck sector, over 95% of the breeds used for roast duck are home‑bred, while lean‑type ducks destined for processed products such as salted duck and braised duck have shifted from complete reliance on imports to a domestic‑bred market share of 35%. This represents a major breakthrough, and it is entirely feasible to raise that share to over 50% within the next two to three years.”

Where exactly is the “bottleneck”?

So, where exactly does the bottleneck lie in seed‑resource security? Liu Luxiang explains that the utilization and innovation of germplasm resources remain among the key technological challenges. “The third national survey of crop germplasm resources has yet to conclude, and our collection efforts are still expanding rapidly. At the same time, how can we make better use of these resources? We are a major country in terms of germplasm reserves, but we are not yet a powerhouse in this area. Currently, the identification and utilization rates of our existing germplasm resources remain relatively low—perhaps only around 10 percent. To harness these resources effectively and lay a solid scientific and technological foundation for developing domestically bred varieties, much work remains to be done.”

Soybeans are among the largest imported grains in China, and soybean breeding is a key priority for future genetic improvement. According to Liu Luxiang, “China’s domestic soybean production exceeds 19 million tons, which can largely meet the country’s demand for edible soybeans—covering consumption of tofu, soy milk, and various other soy‑based products. Imported soybeans are primarily used for feed purposes, such as animal feed and oil extraction. Looking ahead, in addition to stabilizing or even expanding planted acreage, boosting yield per unit area will be a crucial component of turning the tide in the seed industry.”

Hou Shuisheng believes that, for the livestock and poultry breeding sector, several critical bottlenecks persist: foremost among them is the inadequacy of genetic resources to meet breeding needs, making the development of new, breeding‑suitable resources essential. On one hand, it is necessary to explore and scientifically evaluate existing resources—both domestic and international; on the other, new technologies and methodologies must be employed to generate novel genetic material. At the same time, developing new livestock and poultry varieties requires efficient breeding techniques and approaches, underpinned by strengthened basic biological research and technological innovation. Given the current constraints, the challenge lies in maximizing China’s production capacity and ensuring a reliable supply of high‑quality animal protein to its population through advances in breeding and adjustments to the farming mix. “China has a large population but limited land, and animal husbandry consumes substantial feed resources while imposing significant environmental costs. Our capacity to sustain feed, water, and environmental burdens is severely constrained. Therefore, going forward, we must redouble our efforts in breeding to develop varieties that are more feed‑efficient and impose less environmental pressure. Simultaneously, we can alleviate these pressures by restructuring production: beef and mutton have the highest production costs, requiring the most feed and resources, followed by pork, with poultry and duck requiring the least. For example, producing one jin of pork typically demands three to three-and-a-half jin of feed, whereas for poultry, this can be reduced to about two jin—meaning that less feed yields more high‑quality animal protein. Looking ahead, could we guide dietary patterns—and thereby consumer choices—to achieve resource savings? This, too, represents a promising avenue.”

Integrating industry, academia, and research to turn the tide.

With staple grains and mass‑produced vegetables and fruits, China can ensure a high degree of self‑sufficiency in its seed industry. However, in sectors such as soybeans, corn, white‑feathered broiler chickens, and high‑end vegetables, the level of domestic seed self‑reliance remains relatively low, and reliance on imports must continue to be reduced.

At present, what is the greatest challenge in reversing the situation of seed imports in these sectors and turning the tide in the seed industry? Liu Luxiang explains: “The pandemic has, in fact, served as a wake-up call. In the face of an ever‑changing landscape, ensuring food security requires cultivating the capacity to sustain overall grain production. This is precisely the core rationale behind our country’s ‘store grain in the land, store grain in technology’ strategy. Breakthroughs in the seed sector are, in essence, about storing grain in technology.”

“We must fight to turn the tide in the seed industry, which underscores that we indeed have significant weaknesses in this area,” said Hou ShuSheng. “In livestock and poultry breeding, our challenge lies in the fact that we started relatively late and have had a short development period, resulting in rather limited accumulation of expertise, resources, and other critical assets. Going forward, the key will be how we can better leverage cutting-edge international technologies and resources while making the most of our own domestic strengths.”

“The seed industry encompasses not only breeding but also resource collection, evaluation, and the development of breeding systems,” said Hou Shuisheng. “It is a multidisciplinary field that calls for closer collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions. The insights and achievements of the scientific community must ultimately be translated into practical applications. Therefore, in the years ahead, fostering even tighter and more seamless integration among these three sectors will remain a critical challenge for the continued advancement of the seed industry.”

Seed Industry Security: Are There Standards?

What would it mean to have won the battle to revitalize the seed industry? How can we determine whether our seed sector is truly secure, and are there measurable criteria to guide this assessment? On this point, Liu Luxiang stated: “At present, there is indeed no unified standard. From my personal perspective, three factors appear particularly crucial: first, maintaining stable total grain production; our domestically developed seeds must be able to meet the demands of that output. Second, quality—whether the seeds are superior and capable of yielding high‑quality, diversified products. And third, the effective translation of research outcomes, ensuring that breeding advances are swiftly and smoothly converted into productive capacity.”

Liu Luxiang believes that independent and controllable access to seed resources should be one of the key benchmarks. “There may be many criteria for assessing security, but I think a core standard is precisely this: ensuring that we can independently manage seed resources. In other words, when confronted with external uncertainties and pressures, we must be able to resolve problems on our own and safeguard the production of food, livestock, and poultry without disruption—only then can others not hold us hostage.”

Hou Shuisheng argues that seed industry security should be governed by clear standards. Specifically, this entails assessing whether the breeds used in China’s livestock and poultry production pose any risks—such as their ability to meet production needs and ensure continued, efficient operations in the face of disease outbreaks or international export restrictions. Furthermore, it involves evaluating whether these breeds can satisfy Chinese consumers’ current and future demands in terms of both quantity and quality.

Source: The Beijing News