To thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses and directives on the development of the modern seed industry, fulfill Deyang City’s requirements for accelerating the development of the modern seed industry, and in accordance with the “Report by the Party Leadership Group of the Standing Committee of the Deyang Municipal People’s Congress on Proposals for Establishing a Modern Seed Industry Demonstration Base” (De Ren Dang Zu [2023] No. 19), this Implementation Plan is formulated with a firm focus on the “Five Major Initiatives” for revitalizing the seed industry,this Implementation Plan is hereby formulated to focus on key priorities, address shortcomings, and strengthen competitive advantages, thereby further advancing the high-quality development of modern seed industry in our city.
I. General Requirements
(1) Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on “agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.” In accordance with the deployment requirements of the rural work conferences at the central, provincial, and municipal levels, we will thoroughly implement the Seed Industry Revitalization Action, ensure the effective implementation of Deyang City’s requirements for accelerating the development of the modern seed industry and the Party Leadership Group of the Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee’s proposal on establishing a modern seed industry demonstration base, and expedite the construction of the Deyang Demonstration Zone as a national hub for modern seed industry development.
(2) Basic Principles
1. Uphold science and technology as the driving force for innovation and development. Recognize that science and technology are the primary engine of development; enhance the capacity for technological innovation in the seed industry; leverage the role of innovation platforms; strengthen collaboration between research institutions and enterprises; and promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research.
2. Adhere to a market-oriented approach with enterprises as the main actors. Strengthen the role of seed industry enterprises as the primary innovators, stimulate their innovative vitality, and guide the concentration of resources, technology, talent, and capital toward seed enterprises with distinctive strengths and competitive advantages.
3. Uphold interdepartmental coordination and social participation. Establish a new, diversified investment mechanism for the seed industry guided by the government, led by enterprises, and with active participation from research institutions and universities. Establish a working mechanism coordinated by the government, led by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, with close cooperation from relevant departments to jointly advance the initiative.
(III) Development Goals
Focusing on the overarching goal of building the “Deyang Demonstration Zone—a National Seed Production Demonstration Base and a National Hub for Modern Seed Industry Development,” we will make every effort to achieve significant breakthroughs and tangible results in the development of our city’s seed industry.By 2025, we aim to independently breed more than 30 new varieties of green, high-quality, and specialized crops; strive to further enhance the levels of scale, mechanization, standardization, informatization, and intensification of national-level seed production bases, improve supporting services, and expand the area for rice and rapeseed seed production to over 66,000 mu; and aim to establish two new core demonstration zones for seed production, each covering more than 1,000 mu of contiguous land;Significant progress will be made in the development of the rapeseed seed industry cluster, with the goal of adding 1–2 integrated seed breeding, production, and marketing enterprises, 1–2 provincial-level leading crop seed enterprises, and establishing one rapeseed breeding, production, and marketing innovation consortium.
II. Key Tasks
(1) Further Strengthen the Protection of Germplasm Resources and New Varieties
Improve the germplasm resource protection system and strengthen the management and maintenance of germplasm resource gardens for local specialty crops such as kiwifruit in Mianzhu City; encourage the Rice and Sorghum Research Institute of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Deyang Branch) (hereinafter referred to as “the Municipal Academy of Agricultural Sciences”) and leading seed enterprises to participate in the introduction, collection, identification, and protection of germplasm resources, and to engage in germplasm resource exchange.Strengthen the protection of plant variety rights and provide a one-time reward of 30,000 yuan per variety to breeding enterprises that newly obtain plant variety rights. [Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the People’s Governments of all districts (cities, counties) (the unit before the comma is the lead unit; the same applies below)]
(2) Further Strengthening Innovation and Research in the Seed Industry
Focus on enhancing the seed industry R&D capabilities of local research institutions such as the Municipal Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Chengdu Plain Agricultural Ecology Experimental Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Encourage exchanges and cooperation with domestic and international research institutions through joint talent training programs to cultivate a cohort of innovative talent in the seed industry.Leverage five seed industry innovation platforms, including the Key Laboratory of Southwest Rice Biology and Genetic Breeding under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Tianfu Seed Industry Laboratory of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and organize the establishment of the Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Application in Special Crops to enhance the scientific support capacity for seed industry innovation and the transformation of research outcomes. Provide 5 million yuan in project funding support for newly approved national key laboratories, and up to 200,000 yuan in project funding support for newly established provincial academician expert workstations.Guide enterprises and research institutes to engage in in-depth cooperation, strengthen the development of breeding innovation consortia, promote the open sharing of innovation resources, facilitate the local transformation of breeding innovation achievements, and further enhance the level of commercial breeding. [Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the People’s Governments of all districts (cities, counties)]
(3) Further Strengthening Modern Seed Industry Bases
Focus on developing the national-level seed production bases in Jingyang District and Luojiang District. Actively seek special funds from central and provincial governments, coordinate and integrate funds from agricultural projects such as high-standard farmland, strengthen infrastructure capacity building, and continuously optimize the layout of seed production bases. Accelerate the development of the rapeseed seed industry cluster by establishing two new core demonstration zones of 1,000 mu or more each in Jingyang District and Luojiang District.Accelerate the implementation of county-enterprise collaboration, actively attract leading domestic seed enterprises such as Syngenta Group Co., Ltd. to establish operations in Deyang, support enterprises in building modern seed production and processing facilities, enhance local seed processing capabilities, and promote the stabilization and expansion of seed production bases.Accelerate the cultivation and expansion of seed production entities. Explore a new “four-in-one” seed production model featuring “research institutions + seed enterprises + large-scale seed producers (professional cooperatives) + production bases,” and focus on building modern seed industry bases that integrate technological innovation, high-quality seed breeding, technology commercialization, and socialized services. Accelerate the improvement of information technology levels at seed production bases, fully implement the mapping and database registration of these bases, and effectively utilize outcomes such as the “one map, one database, one handbook, and two reports.”Accelerate the improvement of the seed production insurance system. Pilot a policy-based insurance system for rapeseed seed production in Jingyang District and Luojiang District, establish and improve insurance clauses and compensation mechanisms, and gradually achieve full coverage of seed production insurance. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Municipal Finance Bureau, Jingyang District People’s Government, Luojiang District People’s Government)
(4) Further Cultivate and Strengthen Leading and Specialized Seed Enterprises
Encourage seed enterprises to integrate existing resources, form industrial consortia, and pursue collaborative development.Prioritize the cultivation of 3–4 rapeseed seed enterprises, aiming to add 1–2 integrated breeding, production, and marketing seed enterprises and 1–2 provincial-level leading crop seed enterprises by 2025. A one-time reward of 100,000 yuan will be granted to enterprises that successfully establish integrated breeding, production, and marketing operations; those selected as national-level crop seed model enterprises or provincial-level leading crop seed enterprises will receive one-time rewards of 200,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan, respectively.Seed enterprises engaged in seed breeding and production within our city will receive priority support. For newly purchased production, processing, drying, and cold storage facilities and equipment that have not previously received financial support from any level of government—such as agricultural machinery purchase subsidies—a subsidy of 40% of the total equipment cost will be provided, with a maximum subsidy of 200,000 yuan per unit (set). The total annual incentive subsidy for a single enterprise shall not exceed 250,000 yuan.We encourage all districts (cities, counties) to introduce special incentive policies for seed industry development to attract and strengthen seed enterprises. We encourage and guide financial institutions to support seed industry development by developing seed industry credit products and promoting the inclusion of intangible assets, such as seed industry intellectual property, as collateral. [Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, and People’s Governments of all districts (cities, counties)]
(5) Further Strengthening Seed Industry Exchange Platforms
We will strive to host major national and provincial seed industry events, such as the National Rapeseed Variety Field Demonstration and the Rapeseed Seed Industry Summit Forum, to showcase and promote high-quality varieties.Explore the organization of exchange activities such as the “Deyang Seed Industry Salon,” bringing together universities, research institutes, and seed enterprises to strengthen communication and collaboration. This will attract high-quality domestic seed industry resources and factors to Deyang, accelerating the transformation and upgrading of our city’s rapeseed seed industry. [Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Municipal Science and Technology Bureau; Municipal Association for Science and Technology; People’s Governments of all districts (cities, counties)]
(6) Further Striving to Create First-Class Seed Industry Brands
Actively guide local leading seed enterprises—such as Sichuan Longping High-Tech Seed Co., Ltd., Sichuan Kele Rapeseed Research and Development Co., Ltd., and Sichuan Qianpai Seed Co., Ltd.—to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with organizations like the China Seed Association and the Sichuan Seed Association, thereby fostering the development of seed industry brands.Actively recommend high-quality varieties such as Pinxiang Youluozhen and Qianyou 777 for selection as leading and flagship agricultural varieties at the ministerial and provincial levels, enhance the influence of “Deyang Seeds” nationwide and throughout the province, focus efforts on building the “Deyang Rapeseed Seeds” brand, and cultivate “high-end, precision, and cutting-edge” seeds. [Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, and People’s Governments of all districts (cities, counties)]
(7) Further Purify the Seed Market
Improve coordination and collaboration mechanisms between the agriculture and rural affairs sector and departments such as public security and market regulation. Municipal and county-level authorities shall strictly enforce the routine sampling inspection system of “inspecting production bases in summer, markets in spring and autumn, and enterprises in winter.” Implement the “double random, one public” inspection mechanism, strengthen intellectual property protection in the seed industry, and severely crack down on illegal activities such as counterfeiting, substandard products, and trademark infringement. Strengthen supervision of seed e-commerce to comprehensively purify the seed market.At the same time, all districts (cities, counties) must further intensify daily supervision of the seed market to ensure the safety of seeds used in agricultural production. [Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Municipal Public Security Bureau, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, People’s Governments of all districts (cities, counties)]
III. Support Measures
(1) Strengthen Organizational Leadership. Conscientiously implement the central and provincial government’s arrangements for accelerating the seed industry revitalization initiative. Establish a working mechanism coordinated by the government and involving collaborative efforts from relevant departments such as agriculture and rural affairs, finance, and science and technology. Clarify responsibilities and solidly advance the high-quality development of the city’s modern seed industry.
(2) Strengthen Policy Support. Timely implement support policies for seed industry enterprises and guide financial institutions to offer preferential loan financing terms to such enterprises. Fully ensure land requirements for seed industry research bases, breeding and seed production bases, and other facilities. Guide insurance institutions to improve risk protection mechanisms against natural disasters in seed production and price-yield insurance mechanisms. Effectively strengthen the construction of seed management agencies and talent teams at both the municipal and county levels.
(3) Strengthen Performance Evaluation and Incentives. Incorporate the promotion of high-quality development in the modern seed industry as a key component of the performance evaluation for the Rural Revitalization Strategy. Districts (cities, counties) with outstanding performance may be recommended for selection as “Advanced Counties” or “Counties with Significant Achievements” in the Rural Revitalization Strategy performance evaluation.
(4) Strengthen Publicity and Guidance. Fully leverage mainstream media and new media platforms at the central, provincial, and municipal levels to intensify publicity efforts regarding the achievements of high-quality development in Deyang’s modern seed industry. Focus on promoting phased development accomplishments, breeding research, and innovative achievements to foster a favorable social atmosphere where the entire society cares about and supports the development of the seed industry.
This plan shall take effect on June 30, 2024, and remain valid for two years. Specific implementation rules shall be separately formulated by the Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Municipal Finance Bureau.
