The promise of a bountiful harvest is born from superior seeds, and the seed industry forms the bedrock of security. Located in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu Province, Zhangye City is advancing the integrated development of its seed sector by establishing production bases, strengthening leading enterprises, extending industrial chains, cultivating brands, and fostering industrial clusters. These efforts aim to enhance the quality, efficiency, and transformation of the seed industry, striving to build a national hub for modern seed development and inject strong momentum into safeguarding national food and seed source security. In 2025, the total output value of Zhangye's corn seed industry chain reached 12.006 billion yuan, with corporate tax net revenue hitting 138 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14%. From the breeding laboratories of the Zhangye Academy of Agricultural Sciences to the seed fields of the national hybrid corn seed production base, and from the farmlands of Liaoyan Village in Mingyong Town, Ganzhou District, to the drying workshops of the Zhangye National Corn Seed Industrial Park, a single seed is now driving a multi-billion-yuan industry, contributing "Zhangye's strength" to national food security.

Prominent Strategic Position: Nearly 30% National Share with Leading Base Stability

The seed production industry in Zhangye began in 1964. After over 60 years of development, its strategic importance has been continuously reinforced. In 2013, Zhangye City along with Ganzhou District, Linze County, and Gaotai County were designated as national hybrid corn seed production bases. In both 2021 and 2026, Ganzhou District, Linze County, and Gaotai County were recognized as national major corn seed production counties. Currently, the city has established a "1+3+N" crop seed industry system, with corn seed industry as the leading sector, vegetable, potato, and rapeseed seed industries as key focuses, and a diversified development of other seed industries including melons, flowers, and medicinal herbs.

From a national perspective, Zhangye's central role is particularly prominent. In 2025, the national corn seed production area was 3.8544 million mu, yielding 1.638 billion kilograms of seeds. Gansu Province accounted for 1.7167 million mu and 760 million kilograms, representing 44.6% and 46.3% of the national totals, respectively. Within this, Zhangye City's corn seed production area was 1.1405 million mu, accounting for 29.6% nationally and 66.4% provincially. Its seed output reached 534 million kilograms, constituting 32.6% of the national total and 70.3% of the provincial total. The average yield per mu was 468 kilograms, exceeding the national average by 10%, fully demonstrating the stability and core competitiveness of its national-level corn seed production base.

Integrated Innovation Cluster: Synergistic Efforts from Research Platforms and Enterprise Networks

Zhangye City adheres to a dual-driver strategy of technological innovation and industrial upgrading, constructing a complete innovation chain from germplasm resources to the end market. On the research front, the Zhangye Academy of Agricultural Sciences continues to intensify breeding research, while the Gaotai Seed Research Institute focuses on regional seed propagation, providing a vital source for industrial development. On the enterprise front, six international giants including Bayer, Corteva, and Syngenta have established operations locally. Seven domestic leading enterprises, such as Beidahuang Kenfeng, Shandong Denghai Seeds Co.,Ltd. (维权), have also set up bases. Local leaders like Gansu Jinyuan Seed Co., Ltd. and Gansu Deguang Agriculture Co., Ltd. are growing rapidly, while specialized companies such as Gansu Jihua Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. and Gansu Yunlafu Agricultural Technology Development Co., Ltd. each play to their strengths. The city is now home to eight integrated breeding, propagation, and promotion enterprises, accounting for 61.54% of the provincial total.

Regarding processing capacity, the city has built 33 modern corn seed processing centers, with 57 ear drying lines, 70 grain drying lines, and 245 small-packaging precision processing lines. The annual processing capacity exceeds 700 million kilograms, with a small-packaging precision processing rate reaching 70% in 2025. The Zhangye National Corn Seed Industrial Park has attracted nine enterprises and features supporting facilities like a strategic seed reserve warehouse and the "Golden Zhangye" Seed Trading Service Center. The Linze National Corn Seed Technology Service Center provides solid technical support for industrial development. In 2025, Zhangye corn seeds were successfully exported to Kazakhstan, marking a substantive breakthrough in the Central Asian market.

Shared Base Development: High-Standard Farmland and Smart Seed Industry Strengthen Prosperity Foundations

Zhangye City has deepened reforms in the competitive allocation of high-quality production bases, promoting the concentration of superior bases towards leading enterprises. The city has established 1.1376 million mu of high-standard corn seed production bases, with 863,000 mu supporting integrated water and fertilizer systems. It has also built 67,000 mu of smart seed industry demonstration bases, achieving a comprehensive mechanization rate of 75.8% for corn seed production.

In Ganzhou District, Liaoyan Village in Mingyong Town implements a model of "agricultural investment platform + village collective economic company + enterprise + farmer." The village collective centrally leases land to build high-standard bases, with farmers receiving a guaranteed rent of 1,000 yuan per mu, plus enterprise dividends, leading to an annual income of about 1,200 yuan per mu. In Linze County, Xiwang Village in Banqiao Town has established stable cooperative relationships with enterprises, participating in daily maintenance and production management of the bases to jointly elevate construction standards. In Gaotai County, villages like Wutong in Luotuocheng Town and Liuyi in Heli Town are accelerating infrastructure upgrades, adding small weather stations and soil moisture monitoring equipment. They utilize information technologies like big data and the Internet of Things to enable full-chain traceability and enhance precision through intelligent management and control.

The corn seed production industry has become a lucrative source of income for farmers. In 2025, the average output value per mu for corn seed production in the city was 3,585 yuan, significantly higher than that for wheat (1,176 yuan/mu) and field corn (2,160 yuan/mu), with profit differentials of 2,409 yuan and 1,425 yuan, respectively. The industry drives employment for approximately 70,000 farming households. In main production areas, farmers' income from corn seed production reached 7,195 yuan, accounting for 30.6% of the per capita disposable income of 23,531 yuan. Furthermore, seed payments are settled within the same year. "Zhangye Seed Farmers" has become the city's most prominent labor brand. In 2025, the brand value of "Zhangye Corn Seeds" reached 20.85 billion yuan and was recognized as a regional public brand under the "Ganwei" label. From the fertile lands of the Hexi Corridor to fields across the nation, Zhangye City is breaking development bottlenecks through reform, consolidating industrial synergy through ecology, and accelerating its transformation from a major seed-producing city to a powerful seed industry hub.