China’s most popular and well-loved agricultural entrepreneur and visionary passed away suddenly recently.

The outpouring of grief began on the Chinese festival of Li Chun, which means the start of spring, when news began to spread about the untimely passing of the charismatic and charming, Dr Shao Gen Huo.

Dr Shao grew up in rural China and showed remarkable aptitude to graduate from school and university before applying to attend the capital city, Beijing to write a doctorate thesis in pig nutrition.

He wrote about amino acids and graduated as the first doctorate of pig nutrition in China.

After taking up an academic role in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, he quit after two years to form his own company.

With starting capital of 20,000 RMB (approximately US$3,000), with one other staff member, he started his business ‘Da Bei Nong.’

Pig nutrition

Primarily focussed on pre-mix and pig nutrition, his focus on the farmer and productivity meant that his business grew rapidly, becoming one of the most popular feed brands in the market, with over 300 subsidiaries set up in the coming decades.

In 2010, Da Bei Nong (DBN) was floated on the Chinese stock exchange, and Dr Shao became one of the most important and influential figures in the Chinese agricultural system. At its peak, the business was worth US$7bn.

After developing a stellar feed company, Shao turned his attention to crops and pig raising. In the area of crop protection, an iconic picture sits in the offices of Dr Shao showing president Xi their advances in seed protection, where their breakthroughs were lauded.

However, these are often clouded in controversy as Shao’s brother-in-law was convicted in the US of agricultural espionage, having been caught in the fields of Iowa. (His wife was also accused, but there was not enough evidence to convict).

Dr Shao’s research has led to huge plaudits within China. Having visited on a number of occasions, I can attest that getting from where the business started to its current research capabilities took remarkable vision and drive.

With over 350,000 sows and gilts, Da Bei Nong is one of the top pig producers and has really strong roots in China’s corn belt

DBN technology will continue to compete with the world’s leading companies in frontier markets, such as Brazil.

Shao also built a formidable pig business, from breeding through to finishing.

With over 350,000 sows and gilts, Da Bei Nong is one of the top pig producers and has really strong roots in China’s corn belt.

Aside from investing very heavily in research and development within his own business, Dr Shao was a remarkable philanthropist. He donated over 2 billion RMB to agricultural universities across China and was widely hailed as a supporter of agriculture and rural life in China.

At the age of 60, he had been suffering with pressure of poor market conditions and having been taken advantage of in a number of business deals, such as with Shengmu Dairy, where he lost €400m. He suffered bouts of depression and anxiety and ultimately, it looks like the stress and challenges took their toll. His untimely passing has served as a point of reflection for China’s agricultural leaders. Your health is your wealth.

Amazing characters

I have been lucky to know Dr Shao and to engage with his businesses over the years. In a society and culture where people’s passing isn’t normally spoken about at such lengths, Dr Shao’s passing reminds me of when Dr Pearse Lyons passed away after he suffered complications during his recovery from heart surgery in 2018.

Stories of an amazing founder, entrepreneur, story-teller and philanthropist who changed the lives of so many remind us of the boundless energy of these amazing characters who light up our industry.