Seed China Monthly Report

In terms of market analysis, Jiangsu released its 2026 list of leading agricultural varieties and key promotion technologies; Summer-grain procurement kicked off in late May, with peak-season wheat purchases forecast at around 100 million tonnes, against 110 million tonnes of prepared storage capacity. The wheat market has been characterised recently by brisk trading and stable prices.

In terms of company and supply, first-quarter results from seed companies in late April 2026 revealed a widening performance gap, driven by diverging varietal competitiveness and strategic choices as grain prices stabilise. On 4 May, Anhui Huacheng marked its tenth restructuring anniversary with a Suzhou ceremony and wheat field day, releasing new high-quality varieties and reaffirming its commitment to food security through a stronger seed industry.

In terms of trade analysis, China's seed imports soared 99.68% MoM in April 2026, with exports leaping 162.91%. Cumulative grain imports for January–April rose 18.73% YoY, while April's monthly figure climbed 66.89% from March.

In terms of policy, MARA rolled out electronic import/export licences for animal and plant germplasm from 1 May, 2026, with paper licences to be phased out by 1 July. Meanwhile, Chongqing unveiled a three-year agri-tech innovation plan targeting precision phenotyping rates of 58%–70% for crop germplasm by 2028, backed by an intelligent breeding system.

In terms of variety, on 24 April, Liaoning approved 230 major crop varieties for 2026 cultivation (179 corn, 32 rice, 15 soybean, 2 cotton, and 2 wheat). Separately, on 20 May, Shandong published a preliminary list of 94 varieties , spanning corn, rice, soybean, and cotton.

The USD/RMB exchange rate used is USD1.00 = RMB6.8562, sourced from the People's Bank of China on 6 May, 2026.