Exports: China’s planting seed exports declined over the past three marketing years, from $66.5 million in MY 98/99, to $63.4 million in MY 99/00, to $61.4 million in MY 00/01. Much of the fall was in vegetable, bean and oil/fiber seeds; grass and grain seed exports actually increased. China’s exports account for less than 2% of world trade in planting seeds.

Approximately half of China’s seed exports are vegetable seeds, for which the U.S. is the largest destination. The U.S. accounted for 39%, 38% and 29% of vegetable seed exports ($13 million, $13 million and $10 million) in the most recent three marketing years. Vegetable seeds are the only type of seed export for which the U.S. is an important market for China. Mexico imported $7.4 million of vegetable seeds from China in 00/01, making it the second largest export market for all Chinese seeds after the U.S. Other important markets are Japan and Korea. Those four countries accounted for almost 60% of Chinese seed exports last marketing year.

Imports: China’s seed imports have risen dramatically over the past three years, from $53.0 million in 98/99, to $67.1 million in 99/00, to $77.6 million in 00/01, making China a net seed importer. The strongest growth has been in grass seed imports, which have gone from $9.8 million in 98/99 to $24.9 million in 00/01. All types of grass seed have done well, but alfalfa seed has been the star, going from $62,000 in 98/99 to $1.8 million in 99/00, to $9.1 million in 00/01. That’s almost 12% of China’s total seed imports last MY. Canada supplied 64% of China’s alfalfa seed imports (U.S.: 10%). Grass seed imports are expected to grow for forage, reclamation and turf in the near term. However, some foreign grass seed companies have been investing in production facilities in China.

Grass seed is the second largest import category behind vegetable seed, which has held steady at $28-30 million of imports annually. Japan dominates China’s vegetable seed imports (44% market share and rising), with the U.S. in second place (but sliding from 24% in 98/99 to 13% in 00/01).

Imports from the United States, China’s largest source of seed imports, fell last year but were up from 98/99. The U.S. share of Chinese seed imports was 36.7% in 98/99, rose to 40.5% in 99/00, then fell to 32.8% in 00/01. Kentucky Blue Grass seed became the most important type imported from the U.S. last year (24% of seed imports from the U.S.). Imports of U.S. vegetable fell by almost half over the past three marketing years.