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On October 30, 2024, the National Agriculture Technology Extension Service Center (NATESC) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) released its supply and demand forecast for major crop seeds (i.e., rice, corn, wheat, soybean, cotton, and rapeseed) for Marketing Year (MY) 2024/25 at the National Seed Information Exchange and Commodity Trading Fair.

In Marketing Year (MY) 2022/23, China imported 67,000 metric tons (MT) of planting seeds valued at $478 million. The United States is the largest supplier of planting seeds to China, accounting for 22 percent of MY 2022/23 planting seeds imports by value.

On February 12, 2024, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) notified the General Directive for Labeling of Agricultural Seeds (draft) to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On February 12, 2024, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) notified the National Standard for Seed of Food Crops – Part 1: Cereals (Draft) to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On January 4, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) published a revised “National Standard for Seed of Economic Crops - Part 2: Oil Species (Draft for Comments)." The revised draft standard pertains to seeds for sowing/planting...

On January 4, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) published a revised “General Directive for Labeling of Agricultural Seeds (Draft for Comments).” The revised draft directive expands label content, requires a description of...

On January 5, 2024, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) notified the National Standard for Quality Grading for Gramineous Seeds (Draft for Comments) to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/TBT/N/CHN/1786.

On December 26, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of 85 seed production and operation licenses, including 26 genetically engineered (GE) corn and soybean seed production and operation licenses.

On December 21, 2023, the State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced its annual tariff adjustment plan that sets tentative import and export tariff rates for select commodities in 2024.

On September 6, 2023, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) jointly published “Implementation Opinions of SAMR and MARA on Carrying Out Crop Seed Certification.”

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the second largest seed market in the world, behind the United States and annually plants 12 million metric tons (MMT) of seed, with a market value of U.S. $19 billion.

On April 12, 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) jointly published a draft “Implementation Opinions of SAMR and MARA on Carrying Out Crop Seed Certification" for comment.