Ministry of Agriculture Announcement: 41 Crop Varieties Ordered to Cease Production, Longping High-Tech Responds to Questions
According to a report by China National Radio's "News Horizon," last year, a large-scale reduction in grain yields occurred in Bengbu, Anhui, with some fields suffering total crop failure, drawing attention from the media and all sectors of society. Affected farmers accused Longping High-Tech of inconsistent resistance labeling on its rice seeds, alleging false advertising. A reporter conducted an on-site investigation.
According to a report by China National Radio's "News Horizon," last year, a large-scale reduction in grain yields occurred in Bengbu, Anhui, with some fields suffering total crop failure, drawing attention from the media and all sectors of society. Affected farmers accused Longping High-Tech of inconsistent resistance labeling on its rice seeds, alleging false advertising.
The reporter's on-site investigation found that the rice variety affected by the large-scale yield reduction and total crop failure in some fields was the "Liangyou 0293" rice variety produced by Yuan Longping Agricultural High-Tech Co., Ltd. According to information provided by Longping High-Tech, this variety was approved as a nationally registered rice variety (2006045) in 2006, and since 2008, it has been promoted cumulatively across Anhui Province to nearly 1 million kilograms.
According to assessments by authoritative departments, weather conditions were the main cause of the large-scale yield reduction and total crop failure in some fields. Longping High-Tech responded that the accusations made by Anhui farmers do not hold.
Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an announcement requiring 41 crop varieties to cease production immediately and to stop being promoted one year later, with "Liangyou 0293" among them. This once again drew attention from the media and local farmers in Anhui.
On September 2, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an announcement requiring 41 crop varieties to cease production immediately and to stop being promoted one year later. Among these 41 varieties, "Liangyou 0293" was listed.
The announcement stated: "In accordance with the provisions of the Measures for the Approval of Major Crop Varieties, following deliberation at the sixth meeting of the Third National Crop Variety Approval Committee, a 60-day public notice period, and review and approval by the Chairman's Committee meeting, it has been decided to withdraw 41 rice, corn, cotton, and soybean varieties that had been approved by the National Crop Variety Approval Committee, including Jingfu 1 You 527, Heshengyu No. 6, Xinluzao No. 21, and Zhonghuang 41."
This announcement once again drew attention from the media and farmers in Anhui.
A farmer in Bengbu, Anhui, who had previously planted "Liangyou 0293," said: Stopping it is definitely a good thing; they should not be allowed to sell this seed in society anymore, causing such huge losses to farmers.
According to the "Investigation Report" submitted by the Anhui Provincial Seed Management Station to the Seed Management Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture on December 30, 2014, it recorded: "Since August of this year, the weather in our province has been continuously overcast and rainy, with scant sunlight and temperatures lower than the same period in normal years, causing particularly severe rice blast disease in the Liangyou 0293 rice variety, resulting in large-scale yield reduction and total crop failure in some fields. In Bengbu alone, of more than 20,000 mu planted, about 10,000 mu suffered yield reduction or total crop failure, including 2,000 mu of yield reduction or total crop failure in Huaishang District and nearly 8,000 mu in Wuhe County. At the same time, Anqing, Chuzhou, Hefei, Huainan, and Ma'anshan cities also reported large-scale occurrence of rice blast disease in the Liangyou 0293 rice of Hunan Longping Seed Industry Co., Ltd., with agricultural production experiencing relatively large yield reductions."
Additionally, according to the "On-Site Field Identification Report on Crop Seed Quality Disputes" issued by the Wuhe County Agricultural Committee on November 10, 2014, it recorded: "The damage observed in the fields was caused by typical panicle neck blast, mainly due to low temperatures and continuous rain during the booting and heading stages, the variety itself being highly susceptible to rice blast disease, and inadequate timely preventive measures, which were the main causes of the outbreak."
According to the "Explanation of Circumstances Regarding 'Inadequate Timely Preventive Measures' in the On-Site Identification Conclusions for Abnormal Field Conditions of Liangyou 0293," it recorded: "In weather conditions as conducive to rice blast disease as this year's, for farmers planting such a highly susceptible variety, targeted full-process technical guidance was needed, and timely prevention and remedial measures were required to be effective. Inadequate timely preventive measures are not entirely the fault of the farmers."
According to farmers who used "Liangyou 0293" and experienced yield reduction or total crop failure, in May of this year, they received compensation of 100 yuan per mu from Longping High-Tech, plus agricultural insurance claims of 205 yuan per mu, recovering a total of 305 yuan per mu in losses. However, this still left a gap of about 500 yuan compared with the cost input of about 800 yuan per mu.
Farmer: The cost is 800 yuan, not counting labor. Insurance is 205, and Longping High-Tech compensated us farmers 100 yuan per mu.
In response to the renewed attention from the media and Anhui farmers over the past few days regarding the related events, Longping High-Tech stated in a written response sent to China National Radio early this morning: "On September 2, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a routine public notice, ceasing production of 41 crop varieties, including 'Liangyou 0293.' This public notice is in fact a retrospective statistical public notice by the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2014, some areas of Anhui experienced extremely severe weather. Under its impact, combined with inadequate preventive measures during that period, multiple seed industry products from multiple brands, including 'Liangyou 0293,' developed rice blast disease, resulting in yield reduction or total crop failure. Longping High-Tech voluntarily stopped selling the affected 'Liangyou 0293' in April of this year, and under the coordination of the local government and Anhui seed management authorities, provided assistance to affected farmers. Most farmers have now received compensation, and the company is also preparing to establish a post-disaster relief fund. The delisting of crop product types is a natural law of renewal and replacement. Two new hybrid rice varieties from Longping High-Tech have recently passed approval by the National Crop Variety Approval Committee, among which 'Longliangyou Huazhan' has demonstrated strong rice blast resistance in regional trials at all levels.".
The reporter's on-site investigation found that the rice variety affected by the large-scale yield reduction and total crop failure in some fields was the "Liangyou 0293" rice variety produced by Yuan Longping Agricultural High-Tech Co., Ltd. According to information provided by Longping High-Tech, this variety was approved as a nationally registered rice variety (2006045) in 2006, and since 2008, it has been promoted cumulatively across Anhui Province to nearly 1 million kilograms.
According to assessments by authoritative departments, weather conditions were the main cause of the large-scale yield reduction and total crop failure in some fields. Longping High-Tech responded that the accusations made by Anhui farmers do not hold.
Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an announcement requiring 41 crop varieties to cease production immediately and to stop being promoted one year later, with "Liangyou 0293" among them. This once again drew attention from the media and local farmers in Anhui.
On September 2, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an announcement requiring 41 crop varieties to cease production immediately and to stop being promoted one year later. Among these 41 varieties, "Liangyou 0293" was listed.
The announcement stated: "In accordance with the provisions of the Measures for the Approval of Major Crop Varieties, following deliberation at the sixth meeting of the Third National Crop Variety Approval Committee, a 60-day public notice period, and review and approval by the Chairman's Committee meeting, it has been decided to withdraw 41 rice, corn, cotton, and soybean varieties that had been approved by the National Crop Variety Approval Committee, including Jingfu 1 You 527, Heshengyu No. 6, Xinluzao No. 21, and Zhonghuang 41."
This announcement once again drew attention from the media and farmers in Anhui.
A farmer in Bengbu, Anhui, who had previously planted "Liangyou 0293," said: Stopping it is definitely a good thing; they should not be allowed to sell this seed in society anymore, causing such huge losses to farmers.
According to the "Investigation Report" submitted by the Anhui Provincial Seed Management Station to the Seed Management Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture on December 30, 2014, it recorded: "Since August of this year, the weather in our province has been continuously overcast and rainy, with scant sunlight and temperatures lower than the same period in normal years, causing particularly severe rice blast disease in the Liangyou 0293 rice variety, resulting in large-scale yield reduction and total crop failure in some fields. In Bengbu alone, of more than 20,000 mu planted, about 10,000 mu suffered yield reduction or total crop failure, including 2,000 mu of yield reduction or total crop failure in Huaishang District and nearly 8,000 mu in Wuhe County. At the same time, Anqing, Chuzhou, Hefei, Huainan, and Ma'anshan cities also reported large-scale occurrence of rice blast disease in the Liangyou 0293 rice of Hunan Longping Seed Industry Co., Ltd., with agricultural production experiencing relatively large yield reductions."
Additionally, according to the "On-Site Field Identification Report on Crop Seed Quality Disputes" issued by the Wuhe County Agricultural Committee on November 10, 2014, it recorded: "The damage observed in the fields was caused by typical panicle neck blast, mainly due to low temperatures and continuous rain during the booting and heading stages, the variety itself being highly susceptible to rice blast disease, and inadequate timely preventive measures, which were the main causes of the outbreak."
According to the "Explanation of Circumstances Regarding 'Inadequate Timely Preventive Measures' in the On-Site Identification Conclusions for Abnormal Field Conditions of Liangyou 0293," it recorded: "In weather conditions as conducive to rice blast disease as this year's, for farmers planting such a highly susceptible variety, targeted full-process technical guidance was needed, and timely prevention and remedial measures were required to be effective. Inadequate timely preventive measures are not entirely the fault of the farmers."
According to farmers who used "Liangyou 0293" and experienced yield reduction or total crop failure, in May of this year, they received compensation of 100 yuan per mu from Longping High-Tech, plus agricultural insurance claims of 205 yuan per mu, recovering a total of 305 yuan per mu in losses. However, this still left a gap of about 500 yuan compared with the cost input of about 800 yuan per mu.
Farmer: The cost is 800 yuan, not counting labor. Insurance is 205, and Longping High-Tech compensated us farmers 100 yuan per mu.
In response to the renewed attention from the media and Anhui farmers over the past few days regarding the related events, Longping High-Tech stated in a written response sent to China National Radio early this morning: "On September 2, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a routine public notice, ceasing production of 41 crop varieties, including 'Liangyou 0293.' This public notice is in fact a retrospective statistical public notice by the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2014, some areas of Anhui experienced extremely severe weather. Under its impact, combined with inadequate preventive measures during that period, multiple seed industry products from multiple brands, including 'Liangyou 0293,' developed rice blast disease, resulting in yield reduction or total crop failure. Longping High-Tech voluntarily stopped selling the affected 'Liangyou 0293' in April of this year, and under the coordination of the local government and Anhui seed management authorities, provided assistance to affected farmers. Most farmers have now received compensation, and the company is also preparing to establish a post-disaster relief fund. The delisting of crop product types is a natural law of renewal and replacement. Two new hybrid rice varieties from Longping High-Tech have recently passed approval by the National Crop Variety Approval Committee, among which 'Longliangyou Huazhan' has demonstrated strong rice blast resistance in regional trials at all levels.".