Development of Agricultural Standardization in China in the New Era

Abstract

Standardization is crucial for promoting the transformation and upgrading of agriculture in China, participating in international market competition, and enhancing China’s right of speed regarding global governance. This study summarizes the standardization practices of major agricultural powers worldwide, reviews the agricultural standardization progress of China, and analyzes the implications, characteristics, and trends of agricultural standardization in China in the new era. It also examines the realistic predicament faced by China and proposes paths for strengthening the agriculture sector of China through standardization. The agricultural standardization of China exhibits the following major features and trends: marketization of participants, covering many chains, diversification of implementation modes, precision of service objects, all-round pursuit of values, and internationalization of the evolution path. It is necessary to properly handle the internal relations between standardization and factors such as agricultural supply, scientific and technological equipment, management systems, industrial resilience, sustainable development, and international competitiveness. Problems including dependence on government public standards, lack of golden standards in market, inadequate coordination between standards of upstream and downstream links, limited participation of social subjects, and slow progress in standards internationalization must be addressed. To further promote agricultural standardization in China, we propose the following implementing paths: (1) creating a situation featuring coordination and interaction of agricultural standardization, (2) establishing an agricultural industry chain standards system that features high quality and vitality, and (3) promoting China’s right of speech and core competitiveness regarding agricultural standardization.

Keywords

• agricultural competitiveness
• agricultural standardization
• agricultural whole industry chain
• standards system