ITS Day 6- Beijing

Today we had the opportunity to meet with multiple agriculture industry representatives at the DuPont China Headquarters. The seminars were formatted in an open panel discussion, centering on technology and opportunities in Chinese agriculture.

We learned that technology adoption in China is rapidly expanding, however the kinds of technology that are applicable to the Chinese industry are very different from those in the U.S. For example, farm sizes range from 1/6 of an acre in the southern parts of the country to 2-4 acres in the north. Therefore, large scale equipment and American style distribution networks are not functional in China, and American companies have to adapt rapidly for success.  We also learned that the average income of a Chinese farmer is significantly less than a typical Americans frame- often times as little as 160 USD per year.

Average corn yields in China are 100 bushels per acre. GMO seed is not allowed to be planted here as the public is very concerned about food safety.  Guaranteed price of corn is over $8 per bushel as the country tried to remain as self-sufficient as possible.

Bill Neibur said it best when he was talking about about the rapid change in China.  “In comparing it to the rest of the world,” he said, “if you want to gain 1 year of experience in 2 years work in China, if you want to gain 10 years of experience in 10 years work in America, and if you want to gain 10 years of experience in 20 years move to Europe.”  As the population in China continue to grow they continue to want– They want more and better products as their income expands.  When China moves the rest of the world shakes.  Bill Neibur went on to suggest that the best approach is to invest in China and not attempt to mine it.  This approach will help China define itself sufficiently in a more enlightened sense that depends on partnerships and global collaboration.

We ended the day with some free time in Beijing that was used to see many different cultural sites. We are not getting ready to continue our international experience in India and are looking forward to gaining another new perspective.