1, the "savior" of Meidou
There is a widely circulated soybean story between China and America:
The United States stole from China. How did America steal our soybeans? As early as the end of18th century, soybean seedlings appeared for the first time on the American mainland, but they did not attract the attention of the American government, thinking that soybean was far less economical than other crops. Until 1929, an expert named Morse set foot on the land of China and collected a large number of soybean samples. Many farmers in China unconditionally taught Morse planting techniques, and were not wary. The expert stayed in China for three years and collected more than 4000 samples.
193 1 year, Morse returned to the United States, and almost all valuable soybean varieties in China were brought back to the United States by him. At that time, China was in a war-torn era, and it was difficult for people to eat and wear warm clothes. I didn't know that the seeds and technology of soybeans were stolen by Americans. With Morse's vigorous promotion, the total soybean output of the United States has already caught up with that of Japan at 1933. 19 14 years, the planting area in the United States was only 6 million mu, and in 28 years, 1942 years later, it has exceeded10 million mu. By 1943, American soybean production has occupied more than 60% of the global market, and China's share has been occupied by the United States.
During the period of 1954, cyst nematode caused a devastating blow to American soybean industry. Scientists rummaged through more than 3,000 germplasm resources and finally found a local variety of Beijing small black beans collected by American missionaries from China in the early 20th century, which helped American soybeans recover their vitality. At that time, this germplasm resource from China had been preserved in the United States for 47 years.
During the period of 1956, a rare pest disaster swept across the United States, and parasites appeared in soybeans. The output of soybeans in that year was almost zero, which brought disaster to local soybeans. At a critical juncture, American scientists found a disease-resistant gene in wild soybeans in China and successfully survived the crisis. This bug has never appeared in American soybeans since then.
Half a century later, in 2000, Monsanto Company of the United States visited China. Before leaving, China gave each other a wild soybean seed, and Monsanto is a treasure. After returning to China, we immediately detected high-yield and disease-resistant genes with the most advanced technology. Then, Monsanto copied this soybean through transgenic technology, and registered 64 patents in 10 1 countries and regions around the world. Even China, who provides a research base for him, has to pay royalties. Today, the United States has become the world's soybean hegemon, while China's soybean industry is almost wiped out. Before 1995, China held more than 90% of the world's wild soybean varieties and was always a net soybean exporter. At present, 90% of soybeans in China are imported.
After a hundred years of accumulation, the United States has 20,000 soybean materials, which is one of the countries with the largest soybean germplasm resources in the world.
According to the data released by the General Administration of Customs of China in 2002 1 and 1, in 2020, China imported 100328200 tons of soybeans, up1.7% year-on-year, exceeding1100 million tons for the first time. It is estimated that in 20021year, 654.38+billion tons will be imported. Mainly imported from the United States, Brazil, Argentina and other countries. On the other hand, the international soybean price has now risen to about 13.65 USD/bushel (about 1.62 RMB/kg), which is 66% higher than that in March 2020 and the highest level in six and a half years.
In 20 19, China implemented the "soybean revitalization plan", the core of which was to expand the soybean planting area and increase the unit output. China has only 654.38+0.8 billion mu of arable land, and there are many varieties of one crop, which is bound to crush the output of other crops. If the unit output cannot be improved, the phenomenon of "involution" of cultivated land will be intensified. The unit yield of soybean is relatively low. In 2020, the soybean planting area increased by 8.25 million mu, reaching 65.438+0.48 billion mu, and the soybean output was 39.2 billion Jin (about 200 million tons). According to estimates, if we want to achieve soybean self-sufficiency, there must be at least 700 million mu of cultivated land to grow soybeans, and the contradiction between soybeans and other crops is very prominent!
In 2020, the sown areas of rice, wheat and corn in China will be 45 1 10,000 mu, 35 1 10,000 mu and 610.9 million mu respectively. The self-sufficiency rate of rice and wheat can be maintained at 100%, and the self-sufficiency rate of corn is above 95%. In 2020, the corn output will be 26100000 tons, and the import will be about150000 tons.
2. The transformation of American seed industry
The United States is the largest country in seed industry and agriculture in the world. The United States is rich in natural resources, and agricultural production is large-scale, regionalized, specialized and modernized. Corn, wheat, soybean and other planting industries are highly concentrated, and the output and trade volume of agricultural products rank first in the world, which is inseparable from its modern seed industry leading the world. According to statistics, the market value of American crop seeds is as high as158 billion yuan, ranking first in the world, accounting for about 35% of the world seed market value. Among the top ten seed companies in the world, American companies account for six or seven.
The history of the brilliant achievements of American seed industry is actually no more than a hundred years. From ordinary farmers keeping their own seeds to the emergence of multinational groups, American seed industry has undergone profound changes and transformation. Until the end of19th century, American farmers, like other global peers digging in the soil, had to leave the seeds of the previous year's crops. Farmers had never heard of such new things as seed companies. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the situation had changed, and researchers developed high-yield hybrid maize varieties.
19 15, the United States began to popularize the certification scheme, and the role of the commercial seed market is expanding day by day.
From 65438 to 0930, the role of American private sector in the commercial market of hybrid corn seeds was significantly enhanced.
From 65438 to 0944, the sales of corn seeds in the United States exceeded 70 million dollars, and corn seeds became the core business of American seed industry.
1965, more than 95% of corn fields in the United States were planted with hybrid seeds.
From 65438 to 0970, with the promulgation of the American Plant Protection Act, American seed industry entered the modern industrial era. By protecting the patent rights of new plant varieties, the enthusiasm of private companies to enter the seed market was greatly stimulated, and the era of great merger of American seed companies was opened.
By the early 1980s, many American seed companies had stood at the forefront of the global seed industry. Since 1980s, the development of biotechnology has helped enterprises to improve their R&D capabilities and continuously promoted the expansion of American seed industry. Some enterprises acquire intellectual property rights through mergers and acquisitions to avoid high patent fees; Other enterprises are developing into a "life science" complex based on the application of biotechnology and related research of genetics. American companies such as Monsanto, Novartis and Egfu have gained considerable market share through similar strategic actions.
The change in the face of American seed industry is entirely the result of large multinational companies entering the seed industry. Both the expansion of the market, the substantial increase in sales and the abundant R&D funds have laid a solid foundation for the rapid development of American seed industry. In its heyday, more than 800 enterprises in the United States set foot in the seed industry, including more than 500 seed companies. In addition to multinational companies such as Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, Syngenta and Dow, there are also small companies or family businesses engaged in specialized operations, as well as more than 200 related industrial enterprises such as seed coating and processing machinery. The seed market share of several multinational companies in the United States is as high as 75%, and the small and medium-sized enterprises that occupy 25% of the market also have a considerable amount of huge investment or technical cooperation, and their business in the world seed market is still expanding.
3. Enlightenment from the development of American seed industry.
A world in a flower. The genes of plants are all contained in seeds, and germplasm resources are carriers of genetic information, which have practical or potential utilization value. Germplasm resources are the material basis of agricultural original innovation and the strategic resources to ensure national food security.
Vertically, every industrial leap has a figure of germplasm resources; The discovery and utilization of dwarf genes in rice and wheat triggered the first green revolution. Wild rice resources contributed to the breeding and popularization of hybrid rice in China, and brought about the second green revolution.
Horizontally, in today's global market, whoever owns germplasm resources will have the initiative in seed industry and even agricultural competition. American Pioneer Company has the largest corn germplasm resource bank in the world, and the cultivated high-quality corn varieties account for 20% of the global market share. The aphid-resistant lettuce varieties bred by Risiwan Company in the Netherlands with aphid-resistant germplasm resources account for 70% of the European market share.
China is one of the centers of crop origin in the world, with a vast territory, complex terrain and rich species resources. Coupled with thousands of years of farming civilization and intensive cultivation, it has always been at the forefront of the times. According to statistics, more than half of the main cultivated crops in the world are cultivated in China. Modern breeding technology has aggravated the "gene loss" to some extent. Once they disappear, it is difficult to recreate them. The strategic significance of germplasm resources protection lies in protecting and preserving this diversity.
Liu Shuai
2021Aug 17 Changsha