Chinese hybrid rice seed and the corporatization of agriculture in Pakistan

Abstract

In the academic debate of China’s “going out” strategies in the agricultural sector, much attention has been given to overseas agricultural investments and strategic trade partnerships to secure the country’s food and biomass supply. This presentation looks at a somewhat neglected topic: the increasing role of Chinese companies as agricultural input suppliers for neighbouring countries. Based on recent field research in Pakistan, the presentation investigates the emergence and proliferation of Chinese hybrid rice seeds, as well as the drivers and consequences of these developments. While overseas expansion of China’s growing seed industry is certainly an important factor, this development must be seen as part of a general trend towards the ‘corporatization’ of agriculture in Pakistan, with various domestic and transnational agribusinesses playing central roles.