Recommendations for Sustainable Development through Cotton Seed Innovation
Sow Hope, Grow New Horizons
Strengthen Breeding Innovation and Pursue Key Research Breakthroughs
● Increase government investment in agricultural research and support universities, research institutes and leading enterprises in jointly establishing breeding platforms and conducting collaborative research on key traits such as stress tolerance, superior quality and efficient resource utilization.
● Promote the wider application of breeding technologies and lower the barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises to adopt them.Improve the variety approval system and accelerate the approval and promotion of breakthrough varieties.
Promote Green Seed Treatment Technologies to Reduce Adoption Costs
● Provide subsidies for green seed treatment products and technologies, such as biological seed coating formulations and seed priming, to reduce adoption costs for cotton farmers.
● Establish industry standards for seed treatment technologies, strengthen market regulation, and phase out highly toxic and ineffective treatment products. Provide technical training to help cotton farmers use seed treatment technologies properly.
Establish an Integrated Industrial Chain Collaboration Model
● Promote contract-based collaboration among seed companies, cooperatives and textile enterprises, with varieties developed to meet the specific needs of textile companies and premium purchasing mechanisms established for high-quality cotton to ensure farmers’ returns.
● Improve the certification systems for organic and green cotton and integrate certification, distribution and sales. Increase support for R&D in cotton textile recycling technologies, foster the recycled cotton industry and establish a closed-loop industrial chain.
Optimize Regional Technology Extension and Service Systems
● Develop integrated “variety + cultivation + agricultural machinery” solutions tailored to the ecological characteristics of different cotton-growing regions, improving the compatibility between superior varieties and cultivation practices.
● Strengthen local agricultural extension teams and leverage digital tools, such as agricultural extension apps and short-form videos, to provide technical guidance and bridge the “last mile” of agricultural technical services
Strengthen Policy and Market Support Mechanisms
● Harmonize standards for green certification of cotton seeds, establish a robust quality traceability system, and crack down firmly on counterfeit and substandard seeds.
● Expand subsidies for cotton cultivation on marginal farmland, including saline-alkali soils and arid regions, and encourage the adoption of stress-tolerant varieties.
● Strengthen international cooperation, introduce advanced foreign technologies in cotton breeding and seed treatment, and enhance the international competitiveness of Chinese cotton seed industry.