Seeds from Gobi desert growing for the world

Xu Duo, deputy director of Jiuquan's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, says that the city in northwestern China has become a major hub for seed production. With over 49,800 hectares dedicated to seed cultivation, Jiuquan produces 160 million kilograms of seeds annually.

Notably, Jiuquan supplies 50 percent of China's vegetable and melon seeds and 70 percent of its flower seeds, with exports reaching more than 80 countries and regions worldwide. Last year alone, seed exports from the region were valued at 450 million yuan ($61.8 million).

Through the use of cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, satellite remote sensing, and big data, Jiuquan has developed high-standard seed fields. Indoor and outdoor artificial climate-controlled facilities are utilized to shorten breeding cycles and enhance precision production. Additionally, the city has gathered and refined over 250,000 crop germplasm resources to foster innovation in seed breeding.

By systematically advancing its vegetable and flower seed industry, Jiuquan has turned the harsh Gobi Desert into a global seed production powerhouse, spreading its seeds across international borders.