Applications on agricultural new plant varieties amounted to 9,016

2012/03/27

As of the end of 2011, applications and grants on agricultural new plant varieties had amounted to 9,016 and 3,713 respectively. 55% of the applications were contributed by research institutes and 39% were from domestic enterprises and individuals, according to information released from a meeting convened by the Ministry of Agriculture to mark the 15th anniversary of the promulgation of the Ordinance on the Protection of New Plant Varieties.

During the past fifteen years, China has made great progress in developing and protecting new plant varieties, said Liu Ping from the Ministry. The processing procedures of applications, grants, implementation and enforcement of new plant variety rights were effectively guaranteed by the improved regulations and provisions, under which, more and more breeders could enjoy a fair market and a sound environment where their rights were duly protected, resulting in a rapid growth of the amount of filings in this regard.

In addition, the awareness of protecting new plant varieties was significantly increased through a number of disseminations and trainings. Some agricultural research institutes formulated IP management rules and many seed companies established law departments. Courts also made great efforts to handle IP infringement cases on new plant varieties and saw a decrease of such cases in recent years.

Although China has achieved great accomplishments in the protection of new plant varieties over the past fifteen years, there was still room to improve, said some experts. The enforcement regulations and processing and reexamining provisions need amendments to cater for the development of seed industry. Facilities in testing agencies of new plant varieties should be improved and more testing talents are needed. Administrative departments for agricultural industry should reinforce law enforcement and increase working efficiency. The authorities should establish a professional research group to work on IP strategies and new plant varieties policies. [Chinese version is available on moa.gov.cn]

(Source: IPR in China)