Taiwan Organic Seed and Seedling Farm Plans 30-Hectare Production Base; Organic Corn and Soybean Seeds Will Soon Hit the Market
The area under organic cultivation in China has been increasing year by year, reaching more than 8,900 hectares by April this year. Organic agriculture adopts organic management in the fields, but whether seedlings or seeds are organic has long been a pain point. The Council of Agriculture's Seed and Seedling Improvement and Propagation Station has begun planning a 30-hectare organic seedling production base, and it is expected that within 3 years the first batch of hard corn and soybean seeds meeting organic certification can be produced.
The Council of Agriculture's Seed and Seedling Improvement and Propagation Station stated that the Regulations Governing the Verification and Management of Organic Agricultural Products and Organic Agricultural Processed Products explicitly provide that organic agricultural products should give priority to the use of organic seedlings. Although China has a complete seedling production system, because the input costs of seedlings meeting organic management conditions are relatively high, such as materials for pest and disease control, a systematic cultivation model has long failed to develop. Farmers can only import organic seedlings from Europe and other places, or still use seedlings under non-organic management for planting. As the seedling station possesses advantages such as variety breeding technology and existing facility conditions, it is necessary to invest resources to complete the last piece of the puzzle of organic cultivation.
Deputy Director Chung Wen-chuan of the seedling station further explained that the station is planning a 30-hectare experimental field area for use as an organic seed production base, initially targeting hard corn needed for livestock feed and soybeans, which have a relatively large miscellaneous grain cultivation area in China. During cultivation, the source of seeds, soil and water sources will be controlled. First, genetically modified seeds and seeds carrying pathogens will be excluded, and varieties that are resistant to disease and grow faster than weeds will be selected for breeding. Soil and water sources will also be analyzed for composition to ensure no contamination by heavy metals or diseases. After seedlings are produced, they will also be certified as organic seedlings through third-party inspection units. It is expected that within 3 years the first batch of hard corn and soybean seeds meeting organic certification can be produced.
Chung Wen-chuan added that because the seedling station has long been the dedicated unit for policy-related seedlings in China, the healthy seedling pre-basic seed propagation greenhouse established in the station area in cooperation with the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine's seedling verification office can also help ensure the disease safety of organic seedlings in the future.