China Seed Expo 2011 was held in Anhui Exhibition & Conference Center on Nov 10 -12, 2011. Vice Minister Niu Dun, Vice Chairman Zhu Xianfa of the Standing Committee of Anhui People's Congress, Assistant Governor Shao Guohe (Anhui Province), and CAE Academician Guan Chunyun visited the Expo. There were also senior official visitors from MOA (the Seed Bureau, Department of Development and Planning, Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Science, Technology and Education, and National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Station), China National Seed Association, Anhui Agriculture Commission, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Liaoning Agriculture Commission, Department of Agriculture of Guangdong, and embassies of relevant countries to China.
The Expo this year was hosted by Agricultural Trade Promotion Center of MOA, Specialized Sub-council of Agriculture of CCPIT and Anhui Agriculture Commission. The organizers were Anhui Seed Association and Anhui Association of Agricultural Science Societies.
The exhibition area covered 16 000 square meters, nearly 30% larger than last year. It provided 250 normal stands and 60 specially designed stands in the national section for more than 250 national exhibitors from 22 provinces. It also hosted nearly 50 exhibitors from Germany, Spain, Switzerland, U.K., and U.S. in the international section who came with products ranging from seed R & D, production, sales, and machinery to agro-chemicals. Trade associations and buyers from 23 countries and regions and seed authorities of many provinces of China also paid a visit to the Expo.
Vice Minister Niu stated in his speech that the seed industry enjoys strategic importance. It is fundamental to agricultural development and national food security. Anhui has a fast growing seed industry which improves in seed R & D, breeding, marketing and business management. As an influential seed province, Anhui is expected to have a bigger role to play in seed industry development. The Expo will promote cooperation between China and other countries in the seed sector, thus contributing to the development of a modern agriculture and the rural economy.