China food security: why counterfeit seeds are stalling innovation in the agricultural sector
- More than 800 seeds registered with Chinese authorities have been cancelled in the past two years for being copies
- The sector is highly fragmented and its track record in commercialising seed innovations is weak, according to experts
Leaning over her market stall piled high with tomatoes, Ling Fen explains to a customer why she is charging a premium for her product.
“This is a variety introduced from the Netherlands. It’s sweeter, softer and juicier,” said the vegetable vendor in central Shanghai.
“You may see sellers in other places also claiming to have such tomatoes, but I can assure you mine are authentic.”
It is unclear how many bogus tomato varieties are doing the rounds in Chinese markets, but Ling’s sales pitch touches on a thorny problem for China’s government, seed companies and farmers.
Stopping the circulation of counterfeit seeds has been a priority for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs since 2021, when it launched a “market clean-up” in conjunction with the government’s “seed industry revitalisation plan”.
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Why is the Chinese government so concerned about food security?
More than 800 crop seeds registered with authorities have been cancelled in the past two years for being copies of popular breeds, the ministry said in a statement in February.