Greenhouse and Horticulture PDA Mission to China Oct-Nov 2021

Request for Expression of Interest

Global Affairs Canada, through the Embassy of Canada in Beijing and the Consulate-General in Guangzhou, and the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) will be pleased to receive your application to participate in the “Virtual Greenhouse and Horticulture PDA Mission to China”, which is expected to take place in late autumn 2021 (final dates to be determined).

Companies interested in participating in the mission must request an application form from Trade Commissioner, Qing Ren (qing.ren@international.gc.ca), and then submit a completed copy to Qing Ren no later than August 15th, 2021. Additionally, application information can be found below.

Mission Objective

Exponential population growth has led to significant food security challenges for China. Changing patterns in food consumption have stimulated an increasing demand for agricultural products over the past decades. To satisfy this surging demand, China has invested heavily in smart and green technologies to improve both the quantity and the quality of the agriculture industry outputs. Canada’s strong research and development (R&D) capabilities and long existing bilateral relationship with China in the agricultural and agri-food sectors have created opportunities for Canadian agri-tech companies to elevate their competitiveness by working with potential Chinese partners.

The virtual mission will focus on introducing Canadian SMEs with innovative technologies/solutions to potential Chinese partners for industrial R&D collaboration, with the goal of future commercialization.

Examples of R&D collaboration being targeted include:

• Validation of Canadian technology for China and/or for other markets;
• Adaptation of Canadian technology to meet Chinese and/or other market characteristics; and/or,
• Joint development of new products or services by combining Canadian and Chinese technologies.

Canadian Delegate Profile

Canadian companies with technologies serving the greenhouse and horticulture industry, and production and distribution value chains are welcome to submit applications. Examples of technologies of particular interest to China include:

• New construction materials to reduce energy and resources consumption of greenhouses and indoor farming;
• Smart solutions to improve productivity and efficiency in greenhouse and indoor farming and production process; and,
• Technologies to ensure safe and efficient logistic services to connect industries and the consumers.

Canadian mission participants should meet the requirements below in order to benefit from this initiative:

• Profit-oriented, small- or medium-sized enterprise (500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees) incorporated in Canada;
• Previous experience in commercializing technology for domestic and/or international markets;
• Capacity and interest to co-develop technology with Chinese partners;
• Committed to expansion into the Chinese market; and,
• Sufficient working capital and human resources to undertake a multi-year R&D collaboration with the ability to commercialize the results.

Mission Description

Given that the outbreak of COVID-19 has imposed substantial challenges and uncertainties for international travel, all the business activities for this initiative will most likely take place online.

The mission’s program is designed to help increase Canadian SMEs’ awareness of the opportunities available to them within China as well as the challenges China faces, and introduce those that are capable and ready to pursue joint R&D partnerships to stakeholders in China. The planned elements of the mission program include:

• Presentations by experts on China business environment including opportunities, challenges and best practices;
• Opportunities for Canadian participants to present their capabilities and interest for R&D collaboration to Chinese companies, venture capital investors, researchers and industry association (via pre-recorded video); and,
• Tailored B2B meetings with potential Chinese partners to discuss opportunities.

Why China?

Despite the global economic downturn caused by COVID-19, China’s economy has quickly bounced back. It was the only economy that claimed growth in 2020 with 2.3% rate, and achieved a record high of 18% in the first quarter of 2021. China is a large and prosperous market for Canadian companies looking for international business development and partnership building opportunities.

One of the highest priories for the country in the past decades has been to secure the food supply to its population of 1.4 Billion. The per capita farmland occupancy rate in China is only about 40% of the world average. The situation is getting worse with the continuous diminishing of agricultural land due to overuse, erosion and pollution. On the other hand, the rising middle class and rapid urbanization are driving up the demand for a stable supply of quality assured food. As one of the measures to fill in such gaps, greenhouses have been built across the country in the last 30 years to maximize the land use for better output especially in Northern regions, which tend to face a harsher environment. However, despite the large acreage of agriculture infrastructure, most of the existing greenhouses are quite basic, and the productivity of which is only about 15% of the high tech facilities built in Europe and North America. As a result, China has been investing significant amounts of funding and effort to upgrade the industry in recent years by adopting new modern technologies for greenhouses and indoor farming facilities. More and more Chinese companies and investors traditionally focusing on the high tech and real estate construction sectors have expanded to agriculture and agri-food industries.

China is Canada’s second largest export market for the agri-food and seafood sector, having imported $9.3 billion worth of products from Canada in 2020, an increase of 46% over 2019. Canada is well-recognized in China as one of the world’s leading suppliers of high quality food products. In addition to commodity imports, Chinese companies have a strong interest in working with Canadian companies and research institutions to build partnerships in innovative technologies and products development/commercialization in China and Canada.

How to Apply for Participation

1. Interested companies should request an application form from Qing Ren, Trade Commissioner (Innovation) in Beijing (qing.ren@international.gc.ca).
2. A complete application form requesting additional information on your company, your technology and your interest in discussing possible R&D opportunities will be sent to you.
3. Completed application forms are due no later than August 15, 2021 to Qing Ren (qing.ren@international.gc.ca).

   Applications received after that date cannot be considered.

4. The Embassy of Canada in Beijing and NRC IRAP will select qualified companies to participate in the mission. Selected applicants can expect to be notified no later than September 13, 2021.

Please note: Participation is limited. Applications submitted will be assessed and vetted to determine the eligibility and the relevance of the Applicant to participate in the PDA based on the quality of the information provided, with regard to the technology and its appropriateness for the target CIIP PDA market.

Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP)

Global Affairs Canada (GAC), in collaboration with the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), delivers the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) in China. CIIP supports industrial R&D collaborations between Canadian SMEs and companies in key markets, including China. Collaborative R&D projects (validation, adaptation and co-development) between Canadian and Chinese companies resulting from the Virtual Greenhouse and Horticulture PDA Mission may be eligible to apply for CIIP project funding in future.