Origin Agritech Obtains New Licenses for Crop Seed Production and GMO Business Operations

Rhea-AI Summary

Origin Agritech (NASDAQ: SEED) announced on October 24, 2025 a set of regulatory and corporate moves to expand seed production and GMO capabilities in China. The company obtained a Beijing crop seed production and operation license authorizing production, processing, packaging, wholesale and retail of corn seeds, adding to a second existing license held by its subsidiary in Xinjiang.

Beijing Tongzhou authorities also approved the inclusion of GMO crop seed production in the company's business scope (individual GMO crop registrations remain required). Origin raised the registered capital of Beijing Origin Seed from RMB 30 million to RMB 100 million and consolidated key production and sales entities under Beijing Origin as its primary operational hub.

Positive

• Registered capital increased from RMB 30 million to RMB 100 million
• Received Beijing corn seed production and operation license
• Beijing approval added GMO crop seed production to business scope
• Consolidated production and sales under Beijing Origin as operational hub

Negative

• Each GMO crop still requires individual registration before commercialization

Insights

Corporate Strategy & Regulatory Specialist

New production and GMO licenses plus a capital increase materially expand Origin Agritech's operational scope and financial flexibility.

Origin Agritech secured a Beijing crop seed production and operation license that authorizes production, processing, packaging, wholesale, and retail of corn seeds and obtained formal approval to include genetically modified crop seed production in its business scope. The company now holds two crop seed production licenses in China and has consolidated key production and sales entities under Beijing Origin Seed Ltd., positioning that subsidiary as the primary operational hub.

Dependencies and risks hinge on legally required next steps: each specific GMO crop still needs individual registration and approval before commercialization, and the practical benefit depends on timely regulatory clearances. The RMB 100 million registered capital (up from RMB 30 million) increases financial flexibility for R&D and scale-up but does not guarantee approval or market uptake for any specific trait.

Items to watch: completion and timing of individual GMO crop registrations and approvals, deployment of the consolidated production network under Beijing Origin, and the use of the additional capital for R&D or capacity expansion within the next 12–24 months. These milestones will determine whether the structural changes translate into measurable commercial progress.

Strategic Restructuring Positions Company to Strengthen Market Presence with Expanded Operational Capabilities

BEIJING, Oct. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) ("Origin" or the "Company"), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, today announced a series of major milestones designed to enhance its operational capabilities, strengthen its market position, and advance its long-term growth strategy.

Origin Agritech has received a new crop seed production and operation license from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, authorizing the Company to produce, process, package, wholesale, and retail corn seeds. This license represents a significant step forward in expanding Origin's production capacity and operational infrastructure.

With this approval, Origin now holds two crop seed production and operation licenses in China -the other being held by its subsidiary Xinjiang OriginBio Seed Limited - enabling a broader regional footprint and greater revenue diversification across complementary markets.

Additionally, the Beijing Tongzhou District Market Supervision Administration has formally approved the inclusion of genetically modified (GMO) crop seed production in the Company's business scope. This authorization allows Origin to participate in China's rapidly evolving GMO seed sector, positioning the Company to capitalize on the increasing adoption of biotechnology in agriculture. Each specific GMO crop will continue to require individual registration and approval prior to commercialization.

In parallel, Origin has increased the registered capital of its subsidiary Beijing Origin Seed Ltd. ("Beijing Origin") from RMB 30 million (US$4.2 million) to RMB 100 million (US$14 million). The Company has also completed a strategic restructuring, consolidating its key production and sales entities — including Xinjiang Originbo Seed Limited — under Beijing Origin. This integration establishes Beijing Origin as the Company's primary operational hub, enhancing efficiency and supporting future scalability.

These initiatives collectively strengthen Origin's capacity to serve the vital North China Plain agricultural region and beyond. The capital increase provides additional financial flexibility for investments in research and development, product innovation, and market expansion, supporting Origin's mission to deliver next-generation agricultural solutions.

Weibin Yan, Chief Executive Officer of Origin Agritech, commented, "Today's announcements mark a transformative step for Origin Agritech. The addition of our new GMO-inclusive business license, combined with the successful capital increase and organizational restructuring, provides a powerful infrastructure for our next phase of growth. By consolidating our research, breeding, seed production and sales network strengths under Beijing Origin, we are streamlining our operations, accelerating innovation, and positioning ourselves to bring our advanced seed technologies — including our GMO pipeline — to market more efficiently. These strategic moves reinforce our commitment to delivering value for both farmers and shareholders."

About Origin Agritech Limited

Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered at the Origin R&D Center in Songzhuang, Tongzhou, Beijing, is a leading Chinese agricultural technology company. In crop seed biotechnologies, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive the Bio-Safety Certificate from China's Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed pipeline, including products with glyphosate tolerance and Bt (pest resistance) traits. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.originagritech.com. The Company also maintains an X account to update investors on company and industry developments, which is https://x.com/origin_agritech.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition and contain words like "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "will," "would," "target," and similar expressions and variations. Forward-looking statements address matters that are uncertain. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on assumptions and expectations that may not be realized. They are based on management's current expectations, assumptions, estimates, and projections about the Company and the industry in which the Company operates but involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Some of the important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements are: failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage product life cycles; ability to respond to market acceptance, rules, regulations and policies affecting our products; failure to appropriately manage process safety and product stewardship issues; changes in laws and regulations or political conditions; global economic and capital markets conditions, such as inflation, interest and currency exchange rates; business or supply disruptions; natural disasters and weather events and patterns; ability to protect and enforce the Company's intellectual property rights; and separation of underperforming or non-strategic assets or businesses. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments, new information, or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that such expectations will be correct. Actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained herein. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.

For more information, please contact:
Origin Agritech Limited Contact:
Kate Lang (Mandarin/English)
Director of Investor Relations
Phone: +86 186-1839-3368
Email: bing.lang@originseed.com.cn

Investor Relations Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 347-947-2093
Email: matthew@strategic-ir.com  

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SOURCE Origin Agritech Limited

FAQ

What did Origin Agritech (SEED) announce on October 24, 2025?

Origin announced a Beijing crop seed production license, GMO-inclusive business scope approval, RMB capital increase to 100 million, and consolidation under Beijing Origin.

How much did Origin Agritech raise Beijing Origin's registered capital to?

Registered capital was increased from RMB 30 million to RMB 100 million (about US$14 million).

Does the Beijing approval allow Origin Agritech (SEED) to sell GMO seeds immediately?

No; the business scope now includes GMO seed production, but each GMO crop requires separate registration and approval before commercialization.

What operational change did Origin Agritech make to support scale?

Origin consolidated key production and sales entities, establishing Beijing Origin as the company's primary operational hub.

How does the new license affect Origin's geographic footprint in China?

Origin now holds two crop seed production licenses, expanding its regional footprint including Beijing and Xinjiang for broader revenue diversification.