Ministry of Agriculture Reports 23 Seed-Related Legal Violation Cases
In 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, organized and carried out a special campaign against infringement of variety rights and the production and sale of counterfeit and inferior seeds. Through innovative mechanisms and multiple measures, they cracked down hard on illegal activities such as the production and sale of counterfeit and inferior goods, unlicensed production, and the promotion of unauthorised varieties. According to statistics, more than 6,400 seed cases were investigated and handled across the country, 31 licences were revoked, 115 cases were transferred to the judiciary, and 34 lawbreakers were punished. Through the joint efforts of all localities and departments, the overall order of the seed market has improved markedly, and the sales of independently innovated varieties by enterprises have increased significantly year on year. To strengthen publicity and exposure, and to create a deterrent against illegal activities, the Ministry of Agriculture will successively report seed-related legal violation cases investigated and handled in various localities, and will incorporate these cases into the national platform for public disclosure of administrative penalties in seed cases, making every effort to create a fair competitive market environment and safeguard the safety of seeds used in agricultural production and national food security. ——Editor
1. Qian Gongwu's unlicensed operation of corn seeds in Xingtang County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province
In March 2014, agricultural law enforcement officers at the Shijiazhuang City and Xingtang County levels jointly investigated Qian Gongwu's unlicensed operation of corn seeds in Xingtang County. Investigation revealed that in February 2014, Qian Gongwu purchased a total of 5,000 jin of corn seeds from Linze County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province. Without obtaining a crop seed business licence, he operated corn seeds without authorisation, had already sold 760 jin of corn seeds, and still had 4,240 jin of seeds unsold.
The Xingtang County Agriculture Bureau confiscated Qian Gongwu's illegal seeds of 4,540 jin and illegal gains of 4,600 yuan in accordance with the law, and imposed a fine of 13,800 yuan.
2. Shanxi Dafeng Seed Industry Co., Ltd. producing and operating counterfeit corn seeds
In December 2013, sampling inspection by the Shanxi Province Crop Seed Quality Inspection Centre found that the variety name labelled on the Dafeng 5 corn seeds produced by Shanxi Dafeng Seed Industry Co., Ltd. was untrue. The actual production and processing quantity of this variety was 28,000 kg. After receiving the identification results, the company promptly recalled the seeds already dispatched and did not sell them. In May 2014, the Taiyuan Municipal Agriculture Committee filed and investigated the case, registered and preserved 28,000 kg of Dafeng 5 corn seeds on the spot, and determined that the Dafeng 5 corn seeds involved in the case were counterfeit seeds.
The Taiyuan Municipal Agriculture Committee adopted the method of incineration and destruction, and supervised the on-site destruction of 28,000 kg of Dafeng 5 corn seeds.
3. Li Yubao of Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province forging a registered trademark and operating
counterfeit corn seeds
In March 2014, the Jinzhou City Seed Management Station of Liaoning Province, in cooperation with the Food and Drug Investigation Detachment of the Jinzhou City Public Security Bureau, cracked a case of forging a registered trademark to process and sell counterfeit corn seeds, seizing 150,000 kg of counterfeit corn seeds, with the amount involved exceeding 600,000 yuan. Investigation revealed that the criminal suspect Li Yubao repeatedly purchased large quantities of corn seeds of unknown origin from other places, purchased specialised equipment and hired multiple workers, forged the registered trademark of a seed enterprise in Dandong City, Liaoning Province, and processed and packaged them into "Chaodan 21" and "Lianxing (Lianshi) 50" corn seeds, which were sold to townships and rural areas in Jinzhou, Chaoyang and elsewhere.
The case has entered judicial proceedings and is being handled.
4. Xie Shengcai's unlicensed operation of
counterfeit corn seeds in Sujiatun District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province
In April 2014, the Sujiatun District Seed Management Station of Shenyang City, together with the Food and Drug Investigation Brigade of the Sujiatun District Public Security Bureau, cracked a case of unlicensed operation of counterfeit corn seeds, seizing on the spot more than 1,000 bags of "Guomei 338" corn hybrid seeds and apprehending 1 criminal suspect. Investigation revealed that the criminal suspect Xie Shengcai, without obtaining any business licence, set up a point in Nianpangou Village, Baiqing Township, Sujiatun District, purchased corn seeds of unknown origin at low prices from private individuals, packaged them as "Guomei 338" corn hybrid seeds, and sold them to surrounding farmers at a price of 65 yuan per bag.
The case has entered judicial proceedings and is being handled.
5. Jilin Province Longjia Seed Industry Co., Ltd. producing and operating counterfeit
corn seeds
In February 2014, seed law enforcement officers of Jilin Province took samples of "Leiao No. 1" corn seeds produced by Jilin Province Longjia Seed Industry Co., Ltd. at the Seed Market of Changchun Xinfeng Group, which were tested and found to be counterfeit seeds. Following filing and investigation by the Changchun Municipal Agriculture Committee, the enterprise produced and operated 400 bags of counterfeit "Leiao No. 1" corn seeds, with illegal gains totalling 6,800 yuan.
The Changchun Municipal Agriculture Committee ordered Jilin Province Longjia Seed Industry Co., Ltd. to stop the production and operation of counterfeit seeds, confiscated the illegal gains, and imposed a tenfold fine totalling 74,800 yuan. The Jilin Provincial Agriculture Committee revoked Jilin Province Longjia Seed Industry Co., Ltd.'s crop seed business licence in accordance with the law.
6. Jilin Province Bangnong Seed Industry Co., Ltd. producing and operating counterfeit
corn seeds
In February 2014, seed law enforcement officers of Jilin Province took samples of "Jinongda 302" and "Jinongda 678" corn seeds produced by Jilin Province Bangnong Seed Industry Co., Ltd. at the Seed Market of Changchun Xinfeng Group, which were tested and found to be counterfeit seeds. Following filing and investigation by the Changchun Municipal Agriculture Committee, the enterprise produced and operated 480 bags of counterfeit "Jinongda 302" and "Jinongda 678" corn seeds, with illegal gains totalling 8,640 yuan.
The Changchun Municipal Agriculture Committee ordered Jilin Province Bangnong Seed Industry Co., Ltd. to stop the production and operation of counterfeit seeds, confiscated the illegal gains and imposed a tenfold fine totalling 95,040 yuan. The Jilin Provincial Agriculture Committee revoked Jilin Province Bangnong Seed Industry Co., Ltd.'s crop seed business licence in accordance with the law.
7. Mudanjiang Xiudejin Agricultural Materials Co., Ltd. and others in Heilongjiang Province operating counterfeit corn seeds
In April 2014, the Mudanjiang City Seed Management Office of Heilongjiang Province, based on reported leads, investigated and handled "Jingdan 28" corn seeds suspected to be counterfeit, sold by Mudanjiang Xiudejin Agricultural Materials Co., Ltd., Zhang Chengbin of Ning'an City, Nie Enbin and Ai Ligang of Jiantang Township, Linkou County, and Niu Jiaxing of Diaoling Town, Linkou County. Investigation revealed that this batch of counterfeit "Jingdan 28" corn seeds was produced by the Harbin Branch of Shandong Zhouyuan Seed Industry Co., Ltd., with 13,050 kg of seeds involved and illegal gains of 233,950 yuan.
In June 2014, after verifying the case, the Heilongjiang Provincial Agricultural Committee transferred it to the Heilongjiang Provincial Public Security Department for handling. Following investigation by the public security organ, the criminal suspect Wang Long, who processed and packaged the counterfeit seeds, has been arrested. The case has entered judicial proceedings and is being handled.
8. Kang Xiang of Linjiang Township, Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province operating counterfeit corn seeds
In March 2014, based on reported leads, the Public Security Administration Bureau of the Harbin City Public Security Bureau, the Shuangcheng City Agriculture Bureau and the Shuangcheng City Public Security Bureau jointly established a special joint task force to investigate and handle a processing den producing and selling counterfeit corn seeds located in Linjiang Township, Shuangcheng City, seizing a total of approximately 285,000 kg of counterfeit corn seeds.
At present, the criminal suspect in this case, Kang Xiang and his son, the person in charge of the Dakang Seed Direct Sales Hall in Linjiang Township, Shuangcheng City, have been arrested. The case has entered judicial proceedings and is being handled.
9. Jiangsu Suken Seed Industry Co., Ltd. producing and operating counterfeit rice
seeds
In January 2014, the Jiangsu Province Crop Seed Quality Inspection Centre conducted a supervisory sampling inspection in accordance with the law of "Fengyou 22" hybrid rice seeds produced and operated by Jiangsu Suken Seed Industry Co., Ltd. Upon inspection, it was determined that the variety name labelled on this batch of seeds was untrue. Investigation revealed that Jiangsu Suken Seed Industry Co., Ltd. organised the production of "Fengyou 22" hybrid rice seeds in 2013 and sold 180 kg of counterfeit "Fengyou 22" hybrid rice seeds in January 2014, with sales amounting to 6,120 yuan.
In December 2014, the Jiangsu Provincial Agricultural Committee revoked Jiangsu Suken Seed Industry Co., Ltd.'s crop seed business licence in accordance with the law, confiscated illegal gains of 6,120 yuan, and imposed a fine of 36,720 yuan.
10. Zhang Fenghua of Pei County, Jiangsu Province operating counterfeit melon seeds
In April 2014, the Pei County Agriculture Committee of Jiangsu Province received a complaint from the public, reporting that "Shengkaihua" melon seeds purchased at the Fenghua Agricultural Materials Shop in Hekou Town, Pei County produced abnormal fruit. Investigation revealed that the melon seeds were purchased by Zhang Fenghua from Shanxi Boda Seedling Co., Ltd., involving 177 farming households and 313 mu of damaged area; based on variety identification information and on-site field identification reports, the melon seeds should be determined to be counterfeit seeds.
In May 2014, the Pei County Agriculture Committee transferred the case to the public security organ in accordance with the law. Shanxi Boda Seedling Co., Ltd. compensated the affected farmers 626,000 yuan, and the company's two criminal suspects, Jia Fuyou and Gao Xiumei, are currently released on bail pending trial.
11. Anhui Difa Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. producing seeds not in accordance with the provisions of the seed production licence and operating and promoting unapproved rice seeds
In September 2014, based on reported leads from the public, following filing and investigation by the Huaiyuan County Agriculture Committee of Anhui Province, Anhui Difa Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. operated and promoted the unapproved rice variety Difa Nuomi No. 1, and produced seeds not in accordance with the provisions of the seed production licence, with an operating quantity of 15,000 kg.
The Huaiyuan County Agriculture Committee ordered Anhui Difa Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. to stop operations, rectify within 3 months, revoked its crop seed production licence, confiscated illegal gains of 476,000 yuan, and imposed a fine of exactly 50,000 yuan.