China Applies System of National-Level Approval of Tobacco Varieties

Source from:  STMA 06/08/2004

China is still applying the system of examining and approving tobacco varieties by a specialized national-level government agency rather than local authorities. With the approval of the State, China National Tobacco Varieties Examination and Approval Council was founded in 1985, under China National Farm Crops Varieties Examination and Approval Committee. It is in charge of testing, examining and approving new fine tobacco varieties as well as demonstrating and promoting model projects of generating new fine tobacco varieties in China. In July 2000, China enacted the Seed Law of the People's Republic of China, which provides for national-level examination and approval of seven major categories of farm crop varieties. Because of the essentiality of tobacco varieties, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) and the Ministry of Agriculture have reached an agreement that the system of national-level examination and approval of tobacco varieties shall still be applied. Namely, China National Tobacco Varieties Examination and Approval Council will continue to fulfill its obligation of examining and approving tobacco varieties in accordance with the Regulations on the Examination and Approval of Tobacco Varieties issued by the STMA. When any new tobacco variety is examined and approved, China National Tobacco Varieties Examination and Approval Council instead of China National Farm Crops Varieties Examination and Approval Committee will issue the developer with a certificate of new tobacco variety, which will then be promulgated by the STMA and registered by the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2002, China National Tobacco Varieties Examination and Approval Council examined and approved eight new fine tobacco varieties, which will be promulgated along with those to be examined and approved in 2004. Enditem