| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
| Base Year For Estimation | 2024 |
| Forecast Data Period | 2025 - 2030 |
| Market Size (2025) | USD 485.13 Million |
| Market Size (2030) | USD 625.09 Million |
| CAGR (2025 - 2030) | 5.20 % |
| Market Concentration | High |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
China Seed Treatment Market Analysis
The China Seed Treatment Market size is estimated at USD 485.13 million in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 625.09 million by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.20% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
China's population grows steadily while its per capita farmland decreases significantly. According to the China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the country's 1.4 billion people consume 700,000 metric tons of grain, 98,000 metric tons of edible oil, and 1.92 million metric tons of vegetables daily. The World Bank reports that China's arable land decreased from 11.53% of total land area in 2021 to 11.49% in 2022. The Chinese seed treatment industry has expanded due to the need to increase farm productivity and address environmental concerns about chemical impacts. Seed treatment serves as a fundamental agricultural tool for managing pests and pathogens, contributing to increased crop production. China promotes seed treatment as part of its food security strategy. The government's "Action Plan for Revitalizing the Seed Industry" focuses on developing disease-resistant seed varieties to increase crop productivity and food safety.
Chinese farmers are inherently risk-averse, particularly due to the high volatility in weather conditions and crop prices. This leads them to prioritize risk-reduction methods, such as adapting to weather conditions after sowing, which leaves seedlings vulnerable to soil-borne diseases and insects. The adoption of pre-sowing seed treatment practices helps overcome these limitations by increasing resistance to diseases and pests, thus driving the seed treatment market growth.
Moreover, China's agricultural heritage includes extensive knowledge of organic farming practices, encompassing organic fertilizer preparation, soil cultivation, and biological pest control. According to the China Green Food Development Center, the country's certified organic farmland reached 10.37 million hectares in 2022, positioning China as the fourth-largest organic farming nation globally. The demand for organic food products is increasing among urban Chinese consumers, driven by food safety concerns. While the organic market remains relatively small, it demonstrates consistent growth. The Chinese government's focus on nutrition and environmental protection supports this market expansion. The rising purchasing power of the middle class, combined with growing awareness of naturally grown products, has led to an increased preference for organic over conventionally grown food products. This transition to organic farming necessitates maintaining seed quality through the timely application of natural and biological seed treatment products.
China Seed Treatment Market Trends
Biological Seed Treatment Driving the Market
Biological seed treatment technology serves as an effective crop protection method, offering low input costs, high economic returns, minimal environmental impact, and significant social benefits. This technology has emerged as a key factor in reducing pesticide usage, improving agricultural efficiency, and promoting sustainable farming practices in China. Seed treatment agents, which enable this technology, have gained widespread acceptance among farmers. The market for seed treatment agents continues to expand both in China and globally, driven by the increasing food requirements of a growing population.
China's organic farming sector has expanded due to growing consumer awareness of health and environmental benefits. According to FiBL Statistics, the country's organic farming area increased from 2.9 million hectares in 2022 to 3.4 million hectares in 2023. China has issued 30,000 organic product certifications. The expansion of organic farming has increased the demand for biological seed treatments, as organic farming practices prohibit synthetic chemicals. This shift toward organic cultivation methods has prompted farmers to adopt biological alternatives for protecting seeds from pests and diseases, driven by consumer preferences for organic and chemical-free products.
China, with a population of 1.409 billion people in 2023, is the world's second most populous nation, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Rice, maize, and wheat constitute the country's primary crops, accounting for over 90% of its total food production. The nation allocates 80% of its crop production to human consumption and 20% to animal feed. To address growing food demands amid rapid urbanization, China has prioritized agricultural productivity enhancement through investments in agricultural technologies, seed quality improvements, and sustainable farming practices. The Food and Agriculture Organization projects that China will require 776 metric tons of grain by 2030 to sustain its population, marking a 36% increase from 2022 production levels. Consequently, increasing and maintaining food production has become a critical national objective.
Biological seed treatments, including fungicides and insecticides, protect seeds from soil-borne pathogens and pests, reducing disease and pest damage. This protection during early growth stages increases plant survival rates and improves germination, resulting in stronger and more uniform seedlings that better withstand environmental stress. The targeted application of treatments to seeds reduces the need for broad-spectrum pesticides during later growth stages, decreasing overall chemical usage and environmental impact. In China, plants grown from treated seeds yield higher quantities of quality produce, helping meet increasing food demand. The combination of higher yields and reduced crop losses makes biological seed treatment a cost-effective method for farmers to improve agricultural productivity.
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Grains and Cereals Lead as the Largest Growing Segment
China's traditional diet centered on cereals as the primary staple food, known as "fan." For thousands of years, Chinese farmers have cultivated millet and rice in the Huang He (Yellow), Huai He (Huai), and Changjiang (Yangtze) river basins. China produces various cereals including wheat, barley, maize, sorghum, oats, and triticale alongside rice and millet. However, Chinese cereal producers face significant challenges such as growing population demands, declining arable land, diminishing water resources, and increasing threats from pests and diseases. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the cultivation area of rice declined from 29.6 million hectares in 2022 to 29.1 million hectares in 2023. This reduction in cultivation area is projected to increase the demand for seed treatment to enhance productivity.
The rising occurrence of pests and diseases in cereal crops drives the demand for seed treatment. In China, the Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) infestation caused significant yield losses in corn production. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the fall armyworm, which consumes the stems and leaves of various plants, affected 1.13 million hectares of land across 26 Chinese provinces in 2022. While all Chinese provinces experienced an increase in such outbreaks, the impact varied by region. The North China Plains and middle-lower Yangtze Plains, China's primary breadbasket regions, experienced the most severe pest and disease impacts. Climate change emerged as the dominant factor influencing crop pest and disease proliferation in the northern and western provinces of Jilin, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang, surpassing other factors such as farming practices. According to IPCC's most severe climate scenario projections, Qinghai and Shaanxi provinces are projected to face the highest increase in outbreak incidents by the end of the century.
Additionally, the high costs of hybrid and genetically modified seeds are driving the growth of China's seed treatment market. As regulatory restrictions increase on fumigation and foliar pesticide applications, farmers are turning to seed treatments to protect their investments in quality seeds. The rising demand for seeds with superior agronomic traits has led to increased seed costs. Seed treatment offers improved crop establishment through healthy germination and protection against seed-borne and soil-borne diseases at a lower cost compared to other crop protection methods, contributing to market growth during the forecast period.
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China Seed Treatment Industry Segmentation
The China seed treatment market is consolidated, with a few global players leading the market with a highly diversified product portfolio and several acquisitions and agreements taking place to gain a major share in the industry. Some of the major players in the China seed treatment industry include Syngenta AG, Bayer AG, BASF SE, Corteva Agriscience, and FMC Corporation are some of the major players who are operating in the region. The companies are not only competing based on product quality or product promotion but are also focused on other strategic moves, like acquisitions and expansions, to acquire a larger share and expand their acquired market size.
China Seed Treatment Market Leaders
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Syngenta AG
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Bayer AG
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BASF SE
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Corteva Agriscience
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FMC Corporation
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
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China Seed Treatment Market News
- November 2024: UPL and CAC Nantong Chemical Co. Ltd. (CAC Nantong) formed a partnership to develop, register, and market cyproflanilide, an insecticide for pest control across multiple crops and geographical regions. UPL operates globally in agricultural solutions, while CAC Nantong is a Chinese agrochemical manufacturer.
- January 2023: Evoia and Albaugh formed a partnership to provide a seed treatment solution to seed companies and farmers. Through their supply and distribution agreement, Albaugh's seed treatment team now offers the AmpliFYR product to customers. This seed treatment for row crops improves crop establishment, increases seedling root and shoot growth, and enhances seedling tolerance to abiotic stress.
China Seed Treatment Industry Segmentation
Seed treatment is a process where chemicals are used to treat or dress seeds before planting. The China seed treatment market is segmented by Chemical Type (Synthetic, Biological), Product Type (Insecticides, Fungicides, Nematicides, and Other Product Types), Application Technique (Seed Coating, Seed Pelleting, Seed Dressing and Other Application Techniques), and Crop Type (Commercial crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Grains and Cereals, Pulses and Oilseeds, and Turf and Ornamentals). The report offers market size and forecasts in value (USD) for all the above segments.
| Chemical Type | Synthetic |
| Biological | |
| Product Type | Fungicides |
| Insecticides | |
| Nematicides | |
| Other Product Types | |
| Crop Type | Commercial Crops |
| Fruits and Vegeatbles | |
| Grains and Cereals | |
| Pulses and Oilseeds | |
| Turf and Ornamentals |
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China Seed Treatment Market Research Faqs
How big is the China Seed Treatment Market?
The China Seed Treatment Market size is expected to reach USD 485.13 million in 2025 and grow at a CAGR of 5.20% to reach USD 625.09 million by 2030.
What is the current China Seed Treatment Market size?
In 2025, the China Seed Treatment Market size is expected to reach USD 485.13 million.
Who are the key players in China Seed Treatment Market?
Syngenta AG, Bayer AG, BASF SE, Corteva Agriscience and FMC Corporation are the major companies operating in the China Seed Treatment Market.
What years does this China Seed Treatment Market cover, and what was the market size in 2024?
In 2024, the China Seed Treatment Market size was estimated at USD 459.90 million. The report covers the China Seed Treatment Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the China Seed Treatment Market size for years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
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China Seed Treatment Industry Report
Statistics for the 2025 China Seed Treatment market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligenceā¢ Industry Reports. China Seed Treatment analysis includes a market forecast outlook for 2025 to 2030 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
