Seed China Monthly Report

In October 2026, several important changes took place in the seed industry.

In the market, soybean breeding and varietal innovation accelerated in October.

• Hehei Province announced an annual soybean seed supply capacity exceeding 40 million kg, establishing itself as an important domestic supplier of improved soybean varieties; yield assessments of new soybean varieties achieved breakthroughs in several regions, with high yields, high quality, yield stability and saline-alkaline tolerance becoming core criteria for selecting new varieties.

• Corteva announced the completion of the spin-off of its seed and genetics business, with the new company Vylor listed on the New York Stock Exchange, while Corteva retained its crop protection business. This was Corteva's largest structural adjustment since its merger in 2019, marking a complete shift in its strategic focus from industry consolidation to specialisation.

In terms of companies and supply, leading enterprises stepped up capital transactions.

• Origin Agritech announced that its indirect subsidiary Beijing Origin Agriculture had transferred a 70.52% stock right in Xinjiang Originbo Seed for USD16.06 million (RMB108 million), while simultaneously signing an asset lease agreement to arrange a leaseback.

• Longping High-Tech made a series of moves to mitigate overseas risks, acquire a controlling stake in a leading hybrid millet company and establish a configuration in frontier technologies. By clearing legacy burdens, increasing investment in its core business and clarifying expectations for technology, the company demonstrated its strategic resolve to focus on its core seed business and steadily restore profitability.

In trade, new changes emerged in the import and export structure.

• In September 2026, China's combined imports of soybean, corn and vegetable seed increased by 57.32% MoM, while total seed exports rose by 16.94% MoM.

• From January to September 2026, China's cumulative imports of major grains increased by 8.78% YoY; grain imports in September alone edged up by 0.81% MoM.

In policy, the system for protecting new plant varieties underwent a comprehensive upgrade.

• On 30 September, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China released three newly formulated or revised regulations and catalogues concerning the protection of new plant varieties, completing a systematic institutional upgrade.

• On 24 September, the Guangxi Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued the Measures for the Recognition of Non-major Crop Varieties in Guangxi, further standardising the management of non-major crop varieties and promoting the breeding and adoption of improved local specialty varieties.

In terms of varieties, approvals of GM varieties continued to expand.

• On 16 October, the Department of Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs publicised a list of 60 GM varieties that had passed national crop variety approval.

• On 15 October, the lists of the second batch of major crop varieties approved in Hehei Province and Anhui Province in 2026 were publicised, signalling a faster pace of varietal renewal and replacement.

The USD/CNY exchange rate used is USD1.00=CNY6.7367, sourced from the People's Bank of China on 8 October, 2026.