China adopts revised Seed Law

BEIJING - China's top legislature on Wednesday adopted revisions to the Seed Law, the first change to the legislation after it was enacted in 2000.

The revised law left the major-crop seed approval system unchanged, but has cut those that need to be approved by regulators before hitting the market from 28 kinds to five major seeds -- rice, corn, wheat, soybean and cotton -- so as to stimulate seed research innovation while guaranteeing China's food security.

Producers for seeds other than the five major ones will only need to register their products at the regulators, said the new law.

The revised law was voted in by lawmakers at the end of a six-day bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.