Origin Agritech Announces Strategic Provincial Distribution Agreement for Corn Seeds in Shandong Province and Receives RMB 2.9 Million in Initial Payments

Three-Year Agreement Appoints Jinan Jingkun Trading as Exclusive Provincial General Distributor; Initial Prepayments Received Toward 2026–2027 Corn Seed Operating Cycle

BEIJING, Oct. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company” or "Origin”), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, today announced that its subsidiary, Beijing Origin Agritech Agriculture Co., Ltd., has entered into a Provincial General Distribution Agreement with Jinan Jingkun Trading Co., Ltd. ("Jingkun Trading”), appointing Jingkun as the exclusive provincial general distributor for Origin's corn seed products across Shandong Province. Under the agreement, Jingkun Trading has made an initial payment of RMB 2.9 million, representing partial fulfillment of its prepayment obligations.

The three-year agreement covers the 2026–2029 seed operating cycles and represents a targeted expansion of Origin's commercial distribution infrastructure into one of China's most significant corn-growing regions. Shandong Province ranks among China's top corn-producing regions by annual output, making it a strategically important market for Origin's commercial seed portfolio.

The agreement appoints Jingkun Trading as the exclusive provincial general distributor for a portfolio of commercially approved corn varieties, including Jinqiao 8, Jingke 317, Liyu 16, and Aoyu 510, as well as future varieties that may be introduced during the term. Under the agreement's payment schedule, Jingkun Trading is obligated to make additional prepayments in connection with the 2026–2027 operating season and the introduction of new pipeline varieties, including a new corn variety designated for the Shandong market. The RMB 2.9 million received represents partial fulfillment of those obligations and confirms the counterparty's initial performance under the agreement.

"Shandong is a market where seed distribution is relationship-driven and channel execution determines commercial outcomes,” said Weibin Yan, Chief Executive Officer of Origin Agritech. "Jingkun Trading has an established provincial network and a demonstrated ability to manage complex dealer ecosystems. This agreement extends our commercial reach into a province that matters for volume, while maintaining brand control through a single point of accountability. Receipt of the initial payments is a concrete validation step—distribution agreements are only meaningful when counterparties fund them. The prepayment structure we negotiated is designed to align incentives and provide visibility into channel commitments before seed production and delivery.”

The agreement includes annual minimum sales commitments that increase progressively over the three-year term, along with market management protocols covering pricing discipline, cross-regional sales prevention, and brand protection—areas where Origin has emphasized coordinated channel governance as a priority following its distribution rebuild. A new variety collaboration component provides a structured pathway for introducing additional Origin varieties, including pipeline products, into the Shandong market under pre-agreed commercial terms.

The execution of this agreement and receipt of initial payments follow the Company's commercial framework established through its "Aoyun 2026” national variety promotion program, announced in March 2026, which formalized regional deployment plans across Origin's primary target markets, including Shandong. During fiscal year 2025, Origin expanded its organization from 63 to 106 professionals and completed a leadership restructuring designed to support market expansion initiatives. The Shandong agreement represents a direct application of that rebuilt commercial infrastructure.

For Origin, a Nasdaq-listed company reporting under U.S. GAAP with internal control requirements under Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, distribution agreements of this scale carry operational significance beyond revenue contribution. A single provincial distributor with defined performance obligations and market management responsibilities creates a more auditable channel structure than fragmented dealer networks. The agreement's reporting and compliance provisions are designed to support the Company's financial reporting and internal control objectives as distribution activity expands.

"We have spent the last year rebuilding our commercial infrastructure and establishing the accountability framework required to scale,” Mr. Yan added. "Provincial-level partnerships like this one are how that infrastructure converts into market share. The prepayments received under this agreement are consistent with the funded-commitment model we have emphasized and provide visibility into channel commitments ahead of the 2026-2027 operating season. We will continue to disclose material developments as we execute against our commercial plan.”

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 biotechnology, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive a Biosafety 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 https://originagritech.com. The Company also maintains an X account to update investors on Company and industry developments, available at https://x.com/origin_agritech.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the performance by Jingkun Trading of its obligations under the Provincial General Distribution Agreement, including additional prepayments and annual minimum sales commitments; the introduction and commercial performance of current and future corn varieties, including pipeline varieties designated for the Shandong market; grower adoption of the Company's varieties in Shandong Province; the Company's ability to execute its commercial plan and the "Aoyun 2026" national variety promotion program; the anticipated benefits of the single-distributor channel structure to the Company's financial reporting and internal control objectives; and the Company's strategy of rebuilding its commercial distribution infrastructure to support market expansion. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "will," "would," "target," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties -- including the risk that Jingkun Trading does not make additional prepayments or meet its annual minimum sales commitments when due; grower adoption of the Company's varieties, including Jinqiao 8, Jingke 317, Liyu 16, Aoyu 510, and future varieties; seed production yields and weather; competitive variety introductions in Shandong Province and other markets; pricing pressure in the Chinese seed market; regulatory and agricultural policy developments in China; delays in or failure to obtain regulatory approval for new and biotechnology-derived varieties; currency fluctuation; and the Company's ability to fund and execute the plans described above -- which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Origin Agritech undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities and other applicable laws.

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