File photo shows farmers harvest rice in Wujiapu subdistrict, Jinan, Shandong province. [photo/cfp]

Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, set goals to accelerate the development of its seed industry and strive to develop into a seed industry hub in northern China, according to its action plan that will be put into effect on June 12.

By 2025, the city aims to build 10 seed industry R&D centers at or above the provincial level, as well as cultivate 20 varieties with independent intellectual property rights and significant application prospects.

The city will also nurture 10 leading companies in the seed industry and 10 enterprises in the vegetable seedling fields, with an annual output of over 100 million plants. An industrial cluster, with an annual output value of 20 billion yuan ($3.11 billion), is expected to be cultivated by 2025.

In addition, a seeding town focusing on modern planting, breading, R&D, processing trade, and sightseeing will be established. Jinan will build a modern planting industry park, based on the Experimental Base of the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Four platforms will be created spanning national variety display and evaluation, seeding resource sharing, scientific and technological research and innovation in the seed industry, as well as the seedling trade.

Based on its distinctive advantages and large-scale enterprises, Jinan will build five R&D centers of crop seedlings, vegetable seedlings, livestock and poultry varieties, virus-free tissue culture, as well as flower and tree seedlings.