The theft of Spanish blueberries that has reached the Supreme Court of China

A Chinese nursery illegally propagated a Spanish blueberry variety, leading to a legal case over intellectual property rights. The nursery, established in July 2024, quickly began selling the plants, which were developed by Planasa. The Kunming Intermediate Court ordered the nursery to pay damages, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court, highlighting the nursery's business model based on violating plant variety rights. This case reflects broader issues of agricultural espionage and the need for stronger protections for innovations in China, which is transitioning from a copycat economy to one that values its own inventions.