Seed World Special
Featuring industry news from around the world
APAC 1209
Seed Exports
Sowing seed trade outflow trends & figures
Seed Association Reps United Association reps address regional burning issues
Inside ASC 2023
A sit-down with NZGSTA about Christchurch '23
apsaseed.org
Asian Seed & Planting Material
Volume 29, April - June 2023
Official Publication
ISSN 0859-1776
APSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2023
President
Dr Manish Patel
Vice President
Mr Koh Teck Wah
Treasurer
Mr Takahiro Ando
Executive Committee Members
Dr Chua Kim Aik
Ms Amanda Forster
Mrs Zhu Xiaobo
Dr Yang Yasheng
Dr Kwanghong Lee
Mr François Burgaud
Dr MD Ali Afzal
Mr Farhan Tahir
Dr Frisco Malabanan
Mr Rahul Pagar
Ms Chia-Hui (Linda) Chang
Mr John Mizicko
Mrs Natthabhat Soontornpalin
Executive Director
Dr Kanokwan Chodchoey
Technical Advisor
Dr. Shivendra Bajaj
Membership Coordination Manager
Mr Komsak Kamjing
Technical Program Manager
Mrs Xiaofeng Li
Event Manager
Mr Mike Kingpayom
Technical Coordination Manager
Mrs Kunaporn Phuntunil
Chief Accountant
Ms Narima Setapanich
Partnership and Compliance Manager
Ms Weeranuch Mhadlhoo
Communications Manager
Mr Steven Layne
ICT Officer
Mr Visavesa Chuaysiri
P.O. Box 1030, Kasetsart, Bangkok 10903, Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2-940-5464 Fax: +66 (0) 2-940-5467
Email: apsa@apsaseed.org www.apsaseed.org
Asian Seed & Planting Material is published quarterly as the official publication of the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA). APSA is a provident organisation dedicated to the promotion and improvement of the seed industry in Asia Pacific.
Asian Seed has a pass-on readership of 3,500 worldwide.
Eighty per cent of our subscribers reside in the Asia-Pacific region and include senior executives in seed enterprises, government agencies, universities and national seed associations.
Subscriptions are available on the APSA website or from the Secretariat.
Editorial contributions and advertising enquiries should be sent to the Secretariat or by email to apsa@apsaseed.org. APSA holds the right to accept or reject contributions.
The contents of this magazine may only be reproduced with the written consent of APSA.
Reps from more than a dozen national and local seed trade associations met in Bangkok to discuss and address regional industry issues. In part one of two, we introduce some of the associations, their priorities and work.
In May, the APSA-World Vegetable Center Breeding Consortium marked its seventh year of this important public-private partnership that is making strides to supply disease-resistant seeds for Asian farmers.
It has been a busy second quarter for APSA. In April, APSA's Working Group for Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies (WIC) held their midterm meeting in Bangkok, marking the first in-person gathering of its kind since the pandemic. Originally established as a sub-group under the Special Interest Group of Vegetables and Ornamentals, the WIC group has evolved into a significant main group in its own right. The pressing issues on the WIC's agenda have a profound impact on seed research, production, and trade, making them relevant to all APSA members, regardless of their business category. I strongly encourage everyone to read the complete report from the latest WIC meeting, which can be found on page 32 of this issue.
Immediately following the WIC midterm meeting, we successfully conducted our annual seed association meeting. This year, we made a significant change by hosting the meeting independently of the Asian Seed Congress, unlike previous years when it was just a two-hour sideline event. Recognizing the importance of this meeting and our engagement with national seed bodies, we decided to allocate a two-day program and provide a dedicated platform to comprehensively review and discuss priorities in the region.
In this magazine, you will find summaries of several seed associations, and the APSA Secretariat has also prepared a detailed internal report, which will be made available exclusively to APSA members. The decision to allocate two full days for this crucial meeting and hold it earlier in the year has already garnered positive feedback from attendees. We only wonder why we didn't adopt this format sooner.
Indeed, seed associations play a pivotal role within APSA, serving as our direct link to various public sector stakeholders, researchers, and farmers in their respective territories. Two hours were hardly enough to establish connections, let alone identify, understand, and address key issues. Nonetheless, we eagerly anticipate continued engagement with all association representatives, including those who could not attend this year's meeting. This engagement will be sustained throughout the year, both in person and online.
During the first week of June, my colleague Dr. Shivendra Bajaj (APSA Technical Advisor) and I travelled to Cape Town in South Africa for the International Seed Federation’s World Seed Congress. Aside from catching up with colleagues from throughout the world, we made the most of this opportunity to renew and initiate collaboration with key stakeholders – including discussing proposals with the ISF and CGIAR. We will share more details on this is the near future.
Another significant event took place earlier this month when most of the APSA Board of Directors or Executive Committee traveled to Christchurch, New Zealand, the host city of the 2023 Asian Seed Congress in November. We held our first of three annual in-person meetings there (the other two will take place before and after the Congress).
With the addition of several new board members following last year's elections, this gathering provided an excellent opportunity to gain a clear understanding of the inner workings of APSA, including our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. We received comprehensive updates from the APSA Secretariat and engaged in progressive discussions and exchanges with all board members. We reviewed and voted on various internal matters and initiatives, which you can read about in this publication and our monthly newsletter.
With the inclusion of many new board members following last year's elections, this gathering provided a prime opportunity to clarify and comprehend the inner workings of APSA, including our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. We received comprehensive updates from the APSA Secretariat, and all board members actively contributed to discussions and exchanges. During this meeting, we reviewed and voted on several internal matters and initiatives, which you can read about in this publication and through our monthly newsletter.
In addition to this meeting, we had the privilege of inspecting the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Center, the venue for the Asian Seed Congress. This gave us an excellent opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the facilities and boost our confidence that this year's Congress will provide a unique
and memorable experience. As our 28th Asian Seed Congress, it will be the first time hosting the event in New Zealand itself and only the second time in the Oceania region (previously held in Brisbane, Australia, in 1996). Therefore, we face several unique challenges, including the visa application process for citizens of many countries. It's important to note that visa processing can take between two weeks to a month after all required documentation has been submitted. To avoid any delays, we strongly recommend registering as a delegate and submitting all necessary paperwork as early as possible. For full details, please refer to our interview with the National Organizing Committee on page 38 and visit the Congress website.
Lastly, I would like to share an important event, the signing of our fourth Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for our University Connect Program. On June 29, we held an MoU Signing Ceremony with representatives from the China National Seed Trade Association and our latest partnering university, the College of Agronomy and Biotechnology of the China Agricultural University.
As mentioned in the previous issue of Asian Seed, the University Connect program is a new initiative of APSA. Only through increased cooperation and engagement with academic partners and our seed associations can we successfully build a strong future for the seed industry. This is just the beginning, and in the coming months, you can expect more news and partnerships through this program and many others that we actively pursue.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that APSA's Executive Director, Dr. Kanokwan "May" Chodchoey, has stepped down from her position to pursue other opportunities. We bid her farewell with a tinge of sadness but also happiness for her. During her tenure of five years at APSA, she has built a robust Secretariat team and established solid standard operating procedures. I have full confidence in the APSA Secretariat during this interim period as we seek new leadership. If you have any specific recommendations, comments, or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Until next time. Thank You.
Dr. Manish Patel, APSA President and Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, APSA Technical Advisor in group photo with Seed Association Meeting particiapnts during 26 -27 April, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand
Dr. Manish Patel, APSA President and Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, APSA Technical Advisor joined the World Seed Congress in Cape Town, South Africa during 5 - 7 June.. Below are international colleagues.
Welcome to Issue 2 of 2023! This is my final letter to members as the Executive Director of APSA. First, let me express gratitude for the unlimited support I received from our past presidents, office bearers, executive committee, technical committees, and especially the APSA Secretariat. All of you have made my work in APSA so memorable and inspiring.
Time does fly, and we are now in the middle of the year already, with so many activities and programs to report on. This month started with the participation of our President (Dr. Manish Patel) and technical advisor (Dr. Shivendra Bajaj) joining the meetings at the World Seed Congress in Cape Town. We received promising report from Dr. Bajaj on possible collaboration with CGIAR under the concept of One CGIAR and Seed Equal as well as updates from their meeting with the ISF secretariat to emphasize on our current collaboration on phytosanitary affairs, plant variety protection and genetic resources.
Then, I, along with Dr. Bajaj and our Event Manager, Mike Kingpayom, along travelled to Christchurch, New Zealand foru the APSA Executive Committee (EC) meeting, as well as to discuss Congress preparations with Thomas Chin and Sharon Dawe of the New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association (NZGSTA). We were impressed by the capacity and warm welcome from the NZGSTA, giving us confidence that our delegates will have a great experience in Christchurch this New Zealand, especially considering that this is the first time New Zealand will host the prestigous event. We have received good feedback from our members following the opening of registration on May 1.
During the EC meeting, board members discussed key priorities for APSA and upcoming programs in 2024. Steven (our communications manager) also shared our communication strategy and plans for next year as we plan to expand our audiences and collaboration with press in the region. Furthermore, all key priorities for APSA are covered
in the topics for technical sessions of Congress. I would like to encourage all to participate to the technical sessions in Christchurch; alternatively, you can watch the sessions via the APSA Seed Academy platform in 2024. And this year, we still would like to promote “Say No To Seed Piracy" campaign. In addition to our programs, one of the key topics discussed in the EC meeting is a Code of Conduct for APSA members; it is important for APSA to create a healthy environment for members to participate in our activities, especially for trading of high-quality seeds at our Congress. The Code will be proposed for all members to adopt during the annual general meeting (AGM).
In May, I met with Mr. Khalil Hamid (Mekong US Partnership program manager, USDA) and Dr. Stephen Malone (Technical expert, USDA) during their visit to Thailand and Cambodia. I am pleased to share that USDA agreed to continue collaborating with APSA to strengthen policy and capacity-building for seed trade, with a focus on four countries (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand). APSA, USDA and the American Seed Trade Association or ASTA will be co-organizing a regional workshop in Bangkok later this year, and I will add that APSA is working with USDA and the East Asian Plant Variety Protection (EAPVP) forum to bring more government officers from Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia to participate in the coming EVPVP meeting and international seminar on development of resilient and sustainable agriculture, which is planned 2 – 3 August, 2023 in Vientiane, Laos.
Regarding an update on our University Connect, on 29 June, APSA with the China National Seed Trade Association, and College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University signed a MoU. All parties committed to the scope of collaboration, which includes exchanging knowledge and expertise between the private sector and academia in order to help narrow skills gaps identified with regard to graduates' skills and seed industry requirements. This is our 4th MoU
signed under this program. and we are looking forward to completing MoU signings with another 13 universities from seven countries. Thus, this still continue to be APSA’s priority in the next five years.
From 2024, all universities will be provided one account to access to APSA Seed Academy program and more accounts can be accessed by universities through subscription. The Seed Academy platform currently features seven courses including topics relating to UPOV, Plant Variety Protection, seed technology, field crops and breeding technology for cucurbit crops. We have promoted the platform since May 2023 and I would like to commend our great learner in Mr. Abu Zafar Md. Khorshed Alam Chowdhury from Aus Bangla Agro, Bangladesh. He completed all courses 100%. We would will guage his feedback on the platform, and plan to cover in the next issue of the magazine, and encourage more APSA members to explore this new e-learning platform. Meanwhile, please feel free to share your feedback to Kuna (kuna@ apsaseed.org). Currently, we found that only 42 members have logged in to APSA Seed Academy platform.
In closing, I would like to again express my sincere gratitude to APSA for providing me a great platform to work on. I am grateful for the vision of our founders to value the need for a regional association for seed since 1994. The mission of APSA is still providing a clear scope for association till now. “Sustainable agriculture through the production and trade of quality seeds for the world”; it remains paramount for all of us to keep focusing and working toward this mission as we continue to face and cope with a myriad of challenges. APSA is where my heart is and it will still be though my role will change. I remain committed to the betterment of the seed sector regionally and globally. Until we meet again, I wish you all of you good health, happiness, prosperity and success. Khob Khun Kha.
It’s a motto anyone who’s worked with the International Seed Federation (ISF) will know. Seed is the basis of all life — without it, farmers across the globe wouldn’t be able to grow the food that sustains us today. But, there’s another aspect of ISF’s motto and mission that’s equally, if not more important, to the organization: creating a world where the best quality seed is accessible to all while supporting sustainable agriculture and food security.
It's a steep task, to say the least, but only about 10% of smallholder farmers worldwide have access to seeds with traits to withstand drought, increase yields and improve nutrition.
With many farmers lacking access to quality seeds, ISF saw a need for more boots on the groundwork. The only question left, though, was how?
Creating the perfect partnership might not always be easy, but when ISF’s international agriculture manager, Hélène Khan Niazi, looks back on working with Fair Planet, an NGO that’s aimed at creating success for smallholder farmers in developing countries, it seems like the pieces just fell into place.
The two women first met in 2017 in Rwanda, at the 7th Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, where Shoshan Haran, founder and president of Fair Planet, was invited to present Fair Planet’s work.
The global seed sector looks to get down and dirty with a new collaboration in Rwanda.
Alex
“This is where I first met Hélène,” Haran says. “Hélène was so enthusiastic and energetic, that she immediately suggested forming a collaboration between Fair Planet and ISF, to take our initiative to a much higher level. Follow-up meetings with Hélène and Michael Keller resulted in an invitation to present the Fair Planet initiative during the World Seed Congress in 2019 in France.”
But the real plan came into action at the United Nation’s Food Systems Summit in 2021, where ISF firmed up its commitments to seed resiliency globally.
“We decided that one of the commitments was to work on a pilot project to grow on the ground” Khan Niazi says. “For us, seed resilience is the ability for a seed system to work sustainably. We wanted to be more concrete and have an on-theground example of how we can help a seed system develop sustainably.”
For ISF, it seemed like Fair Planet could provide the perfect opportunity due to their experiences and expertise.
“I founded Fair Planet in 2012, as an NGO, to bridge the gap between the best seeds in the world and the poorest farmers, who mostly use low-quality seeds and inadequate agro-technical practices that result in very low yields and poor income,” Haran says. “Our mission is to develop the capacity of smallholder farmers in developing countries to transform agriculture into a profitable source of income, through access to high-quality seeds, knowledge and skills.”
Within that mission, Fair Planet has partnered with individual seed companies to determine what high-quality vegetable seeds are relevant for local markets and cli-
mates in Ethiopia and Tanzania. After trialing the seeds and varieties to identify the best local performers, Fair Planet trains lead farmers how to use these seeds through weekly visits on their own fields, together with local extension officers who gain knowledge on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and practical training skills.
“The lead farmers serve as key agents of change: their success attracts their neighbors to use high-quality seeds and better farming practices, leading to a strong ripple effect and a very quick spread of the technology,” Haran says. “In parallel, the local extension system passes on the knowledge to a larger circle of farmers, thus exponentially increasing the dissemination of high-quality seeds and best practices.”
“Seed choice for farmers is a key principle for ISF members,” says Khan Niazi. “We value the concept of Fair Planet because the NGO not only proposes improved varieties from renowned seed companies but also includes local varieties in their trial fields. Sometimes local varieties perform better and most important is that farmers have the possibility to make an informed choice of the varieties suiting best his/her needs.”
One example Haran gives was taken from the Fair Planet’s project in Ethiopia, called the ‘onion case’.
“We compared the agronomic and economic performance of imported hybrid onion varieties to a locally available open-pollinated one, for which the seed price was six times lower,” she says. “Although its crop yield and quality were inferior, the net income it generated per plot, was higher. Therefore, most of the farmers chose to grow this onion variety and the project provided them with training on GAP.
“To maximize the potential of the improved varieties, thousands of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia were trained in GAP in a second
phase, and within five years, the project’s impact reached more than 75,000 farmers,” she says. “From growing improved vegetables and using GAP in their small plots, their yields increased more than threefold, leading to an average $470 increase in their households’ annual income, from only one production season.”
Not only that, but an external survey by the Hebrew University found the additional income enabled 96% of their families to improve their nutrition. In addition, 45% used the additional income to send their children to school, and 96% of households have saved money, allowing sustainable economic growth.
Haran equates the success of Fair Planet projects due not only to helping smallholder farmers learn to grow varieties themselves but also helping to equip the entire region with knowledge and expertise.
For the partnership with ISF, the concept would be the same, Khan Niazi says. Seed companies — hopefully, in this case, ISF member companies — would provide Fair Planet’s team with locally adapted varieties. Those seeds would be tested to see what grows well locally in Rwanda to determine what varieties Fair Planet will continue to work with and train smallholder farmers about.
However, Khan Niazi says they’re hoping to expand what seeds growers will have access to.
“At the moment, Fair Planet is focusing more on vegetables — we would like to open it as well to cereals, potatoes, pulses and other crops,” she says. “ISF is going to give more exposure to the concept of the project, but the companies are going to contract directly with Fair Planet — they’ll be leading the project on the ground, and we’re going to work with the national authorities in Rwanda to help develop the local seed system.”
The key for ISF, though, is showing these policymakers how NGOs and the private sector can work together to create a better seed system.
“We want to show the policymakers and the regulatory makers understand the people on the ground and how we can all work together,” Khan Niazi adds. “Not only that, but the private sector can bring positive things to the seed sector in a given country.”
After forming the partnership, it really came down to finding the perfect location to launch the joint venture. Ultimately, ISF and
10% 96% 45%
10% is the number of smallholder farmers worldwide that have access to seeds with traits to withstand drought, increase yields and improve nutrition.
96% of smallholder families were able to improve their nutrition with additional income from Fair Planet’s teachings, according to Hebrew University.
45% of those smallholder farmers used the additional income to send their children to school.
Fair Planet decided one of the best options for the project location was Rwanda.
“Rwanda is characterized by a wide range of agro-climatic conditions with diverse cultural and farming practices. Agriculture is an important basis for the country's socioeconomic structure and has a major influence on all the other economic sectors,” Haran says. “The farming system at small scale farmers' level is mostly traditional and managed with simple production technologies and the average yield of the major crops is very low.”
With high-quality seeds developed for more diverse conditions — think drought resistance, disease tolerance and higher yield — Haran believes the project will be able to find suitable varieties to increase local farmers productivity and income.
But, it’s not solely focused on the environmental conditions. Some of it has to do with the regulations and openness of the Rwandan government.
“The Rwandan government is eager to apply innovations and up to now, access to high-quality seeds has not really been addressed by the government or by international aid organizations,” Haran adds. “During a recent meeting with Gerardine Mukeshimana, Rwanda Minister of Agriculture, she expressed the importance of collaboration on the seed system and extension services, to help smallholder farmers to be successful in their farming activities.”
That means, there’s an eagerness present to help get farmers the best innovations they need to improve their livelihoods.
Finally, the last reason Haran sees Rwanda as a wonderful opportunity for the project was due to its export opportunities. Currently, Rwanda is exporting some agriculture produce to their neighbor, the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — only a portion of the land in DRC is arable and cultivated.
“Rwanda has a very high potential to become a significant exporter of crops to DRC, one of the world’s largest countries with more than 95 million people,” she says, adding that for the Seed Resilience project, they’re looking to empower farmers and give them the best possible future after the intervention is completed.
After choosing the right location, it’s about finding the right varieties for the growers. Though this can be a time-consuming part of the project, finding the market’s preferred seeds and the seeds that work best in the smallholder farmers’ environment is crucial to setting them up for success.
“We will focus first on identifying market needs and preferences for specific crops,” Haran says. “Let’s take a tomato for example: does the market prefer oval or round tomatoes? What is the preferred fruit size?”
While private breeders might think and breed for yield, Haran says that the yield is a result of many traits, including potential productivity, resistance to locally prevalent pests and diseases and climate adaptability.
“Based on this information, specific product profiles will be developed for each of the selected crops and shared with the partner seed companies,” she says.
In addition, Haran says they’re working to identify what crops Rwandan farmers need to grow to complement other locally grown foods.
“Rwanda needs cereals and grains to complement other foods grown locally. Out of the country’s total food production per year, only 6% are cereals and Rwanda is a net importer of grains and grain seeds,” she says. “Production gaps per hectare are significant: for rice, wheat and potatoes the yield gaps are 37%, 43% and 50%, respectively, compared to the world average, and even less when compared to advanced markets.”
Rwanda also has a very low vegetable consumption rate, which leads to low vitamin and fiber consumption in their diets. Looking into vegetable varieties that perform well in the environment will help fill out their diets.
To test some of these seeds — from locally important varieties to high-quality seeds provided by seed companies — Fair Planet will be hosting open field day trials to showcase what they’re finding.
According to Khan Niazi, this not only gives smallholder farmers a chance to see
6% is the amount of cereals grown in Rwanda in comparison to the country’s total food production. 6%
84,000
84,000 is the amount of farmers that the Rwanda project is aiming to help access high quality seeds and improved farming practices.
the varieties in action before trying them themselves, but it also allows Fair Planet to provide some education prior to planting.
“We already have two facilities in Rwanda provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rwanda University — we’ll work both in open fields and protected conditions, where all the farmers can come and see the results of the varieties adapted to their local farming conditions,” Haran says.
That also allows Fair Planet to gauge a few different things — though those high-quality seeds might be proven to work exceptionally well in some areas of the globe, they might not work as well as the important, local seed varieties.
“In all our projects, and definitely in the Rwanda Seed Resilience one, we include local seeds that are available to farmers, and compare them to imported seeds,” Haran says. “What really matters to farmers, either smallholders or large-scale ones, is the suitability of the seed varieties to their farming conditions and their potential to generate high net income. Availability is also key and we are working with local seed dealers to improve the choice farmers have.”
After the trialing phase, Fair Planet moves onto the training phase, where they teach lead farmers how to use the seeds through weekly visits to their own fields with their local Extension officers. That’s where teaching about GAP comes in.
Finally, once farmers succeed in turning farming into a sustainable and reliable income source and a critical mass of trained and knowledgeable local professionals is reached and takes full ownership for continuing the training process, Fair Planet leaves the region, as already been accomplished in its first intervention region in Ethiopia.
“This is also a key point for ISF,” Khan Niazi says. “We are not looking for short-term solutions which keep farmers in a dependent state. We really wish farmers and all the agro-business to be able to make a living out their work. Our aim is to help build a sustainable system.”
“We believe that farmers in Africa should have the freedom to choose from a wide selection of seed options, like any farmer in the developed world,” Haran adds.
For seed companies looking to get involved, there are two ways in particular.
“The first way would be to become a partner. Seed companies that are interested in the Rwanda market can test their varieties locally and support the project's budget,” Khan Niazi says. “They provide varieties based on local market needs, what farmers’ requirements need to be met and so on. Fair Planet will select the best performing ones and train local trainers and farmers how to improve their productivity and income from farming. Seed companies are really encouraged to become project partners.
“The second way would be to become a sponsor by simply giving a financial contribution. If for some reason you don’t want to provide varieties and you’d rather just support the ISF project, you can make a financial endowment directly to Fair Planet,” she continues. “It’s important to note that ISF itself does not contribute directly to the project’s budget. This should be covered by the ISF member companies, either as partners or sponsors.”
And though Rwanda is a smaller country, the Seed Resilience project is looking to have a major impact.
The five-year project is aiming to provide 84,000 farmers access to high-quality seeds and improved farming practices in Rwanda,
which should lead to a sustainable increase in yields, quality and income. It’ll provide and improve the local Extension service with 600 local trainers and is projected to improve the livelihood of over 360,000 people.
“Even though Rwanda is small compared with other African countries, its high level of infrastructure and entrepreneurship can lead to a development of produce export to many countries in central Africa, thus creating a larger seed market for participating seed companies, while contributing to the livelihood of smallholder farmers in Rwanda,” Haran says. “This ISF project will also serve as a model for future projects aiming to increase food and nutrition security in other countries.
“For me, personally, it’s a dream come true: the reason I founded Fair Planet was to bridge the gap between the best seeds in the world and the poorest farmers and with this initiative, my dream is becoming a reality.” SW
WHY DO WE as a sector need to continuously innovate? It’s not a question you might often think about, but agriculture and the seed sector have unique challenges that most industries don’t have to think about, let alone deal with every day.
Think about climate change, food security and the energy transition. For Chuck Magro, it seems obvious that the seed sector and ag tech sector need to continue to build up resiliency to tackle these challenges.
“I’m very proud to be part of the agriculture industry. Today, we feed more people on less land with less natural resources and less emissions than we ever had before,” Magro, Corteva Agriscience’s CEO, says during a session at the World Agri-Tech Summit in San Francisco, Cali. “More people around the world will sit down to a full plate of dinner, and that’s because of all of you in the room and because of what our farmers do around the world every day. But, we have challenges and I’m certainly grounded in those realities.
“It’s never been a more complicated time to farm,” he says, adding that there are new threats to growing, including new weeds, insects and diseases.
To retain resilience, Magro says agriculture and the seed sector need to continue to change and grow. One change he’s noticed is a change in the global goal of agriculture. Instead of solely focusing on feeding the world, a new goal for companies is feeding and fueling the world in a sustainable way.
That means, biofuels and biologicals alike are going to become more important technologies for agriculture.
“Our solutions are less intensive than fossil fuels,” Magro says. But, in addition, biologicals are helping to do this in a more sustainable way. “Biologicals is the fastest growing segment of the crop protection industry. By the time we get to 2035, biologicals will represent 25% of the global market.”
While Magro doesn’t believe biologicals will replace traditional chemistry, he believes that to fight the new pests, diseases and weeds, growers need every tool possible to help the battle.
With new biologicals and a new focus on biofuels, where’s the next step in productivity to propel the industry forward?
“We believe it’s gene editing,” Magro says. “It has the potential to make very precise changes where we can turn on and off genes — it’s a faster and more cost-effective way to do breeding with no foreign DNA.”
For Magro and Corteva, gene editing really has endless applications. It can help reduce corn stature, which is a bigger discussion topic among growers, and it can help reduce disease pressure on crop varieties.
“With gene editing, we can identify genes that will protect the crop, amplify them and move them to an optimal location so we can accelerate hybridization,” he says.
Though new tools are fantastic, there’s one other solution imperative to help create a more resilient industry: partnerships.
“Collaboration and partnerships are no longer nice to have,” Magro says. “They’re absolutely mission critical. We believe that we need to spend more time working with the entire value chain, including the startup community, to build an ecosystem of like-minded organizations who believe in working together.”
Especially with the banking issues surrounding Silicon Valley Bank, Magro believes that collaboration and investment in agriculture are going to be imperative going forward to maintain resiliency in the sector.
“Access to capital is a concern today. Access to capital, especially for this group, is the lifeline of innovation,” he says. “The macroeconomic volatility that we’re currently experiencing, along with the banking situation we just saw, has the potential to stifle innovation in agriculture, and we cannot allow that to happen. I see a great deal of opportunity for us to work together on a whole host of issues and opportunities.” SW
Atthe World Agri-Tech Summit, Corteva’s CEO discusses where the future of seed innovation lies. Alex Martin | Seed World
Preliminary data suggests a contraction trend in seed exports from countries and territories within the Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA) region covering Asia and Oceania. This report analyzes direct and mirror export consignment declarations for sowing seeds categorized under HS code 1209 over a five-year period (2018-2022).
According to data logged by the International Trade Center, 34 countries and territories in the AsiaPacific region last year exported 124,499 tonnes of HS 1209 seeds valued at just over US$1.2 billion. These include seed of various types
of vegetable, ornamental, horticultural, and cover crops, but exclude oilseeds, melon seeds, beet seeds, sugar cane, nuts, paddy, wheat, maize, cotton, and other field crops, seed potatoes, tubers, and bulbs.
Overall, the region last year experienced a 5% year-onyear contraction in export value compared to the peak of $1.268 billion in 2021, while seed volume declined significantly by 32.5% from the 2021 benchmark of 184,501 tonnes. These Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA) countries and territories exported 11.6% less seed volume compared to the average
annual export volume of 140,777 tonnes between 2018 and 2021.
These figures indicate pentup demand for APAC seeds as pandemic-era restrictions eased in 2021. However, most countries in the region struggled to sustain seed outflows. Notable exceptions include Israel, Thailand, Indonesia, and Laos, where both value and volume exhibited growth. India, China, and Singapore performed better in terms of value but contracted in volume. Australia, Jordan, and Sri Lanka exported more seeds in 2022, although their corresponding values declined.
Data compiled and analyzed by APSA, sourced from the International Trade Center (UN, WTO, 2023). * When direct reported data is unavailable, mirror data is substituted, indicated by asterisk in this report and red font in raw data set, which can be accessed via the link in end info.
*all 2022 value, and Q2-Q4 volume = mirror data
2022 volume = mirror data
2022 figure = mirror data
All figures = mirror data
The raw data set is available in APSA members area. https://web.apsaseed.org/member/documents/market-data
Attendees of the 2023 Seed Association's Meeting, organized by the Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance on 26 and 27 April in Bangkok, made great strides in narrowing gaps to address a number of key issues in the regional production and trade of quality seeds.
The hybrid in-person and online meeting was attended by representatives from 13 seed trade associations operating in Asia, alongside key stakeholders, who gathered to discuss challenges and opportunities to shape the future of the seed sector in the region. In his opening remarks, Dr. Manish Patel, President of the Asia-Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA noted the importance of this meeting, which had previously been held in as a two-hour side meeting in conjunction with the Asian Seed Congress in November.
Due to the need for a dedicated agenda to coordinate efforts between regional, national and local seed industry bodies, this year’s meeting was reformatted to be a two-day meeting earlier in the year – planned to proceed APSA’s Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies’ midterm meeting (See page 32)
Highlighting the role of APSA as the “voice of the APAC seed industry”, Dr. Patel emphasized the association’s collaboration with the International Seed Federation (ISF) and theh three other regional seed associations representing Africa (AFSTA), the Americas (SAA), and Europe (Euroseeds).
The APSA president underscored the Asia-Pacific region's status as "not only the largest in terms of territory and population but also its strategic role in seed production, which plays a vital role in global food security for the current decade."
"The immense diversity within the APAC region, spanning various cultures, climates, and geography," he added, "poses a unique challenge in aligning and harmonizing under one regional voice."
Acknowledging this challenge, the primary focus of the meeting was to establish unity and foster collaboration among the diverse territories represented under the APSA umbrella. Discussions centered around forging
strategic partnerships, aligning industry approaches, and promoting sustainable practices to propel the seed industry forward in the Asia-Pacific region. Following are brief highlights from eral of the attending associations.
CNSTA
Established in 1988, the China National Seed Trade Association is a non-governmental and non-profit organization and one of two nationallevel seed associations in China, alongside the China Seed Association. With 172 members encompassing multinational companies, local and state entities, R&D institutes, government organizations, and associations, CNSTA is dedicated to serving its members, the government, and the seed industry. Its primary focus is to facilitate seed movement and promote innovation in a conducive environment. Noteworthy milestones include co-organizing the Asian Seed Congress in Shanghai (2005) with APSA and hosting the World
Seed Congress in
in collaboration with ISF. CNSTA operates with a small secretariat of seven individuals and features six technical committees covering areas such as seed trade, intellectual property, and specific crop committees. It collaborates with international organizations like ISF and APSA, as well as national associations, to provide comprehensive services and acts as a one-stop solution provider, working closely with downstream and upstream associations. Key Priorities of CNSTA: Intellectual Property (IP) and Plant Variety Protection (PVP) are primary concerns for CNSTA, as they foster innovation within the seed industry. Genetic resource conservation and utilization to support research and development (R&D) also hold significant
importance. CNSTA actively participates in global discussions and coordination efforts, particularly through the ISF PBI coordination group, to promote consistent regulatory policies for Plant Breeding Innovation (PBI). Regular round table meetings with organizations like ISF, ASTA, and CSA contribute to developing and implementing a unified PBI policy. Facilitating seed international trade and movement is another key priority, with events like the China Beijing Seed Congress providing a platform for seed companies to connect and collaborate. Ensuring safe seed movement by adhering to international phytosanitary measures is emphasized, and collaboration with ISF, PLANTUM, and other organizations furthers the conservation and utilization of genetic resources. CNSTA organizes seminars and workshops to promote international cooperation and discuss topics related to genetic resources, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Plant Treaty. By addressing these priorities, CNSTA strives to create an enabling environment for the seed industry, promote innovation, and strengthen international collaboration.
About: The Taiwan Seeds Trade Association, with 50 corporate members and 90 individual members, strives to improve communication among its members and foster the growth of the seed industry. Its primary objectives involve researching and enhancing seed production technologies, collecting and publishing information, proposing seed industry development and regulatory amendments, organizing seminars and training, providing assistance to government agencies and organizations, settling disputes among members, and managing other related matters. Additionally, the association collaborates closely with the Taiwan Council of Agriculture to support seed companies and actively engage in research and technical aspects of the seed industry.
The Horticulture Seeds Association of Indonesia is based in Jakarta. The association has three technical committees: regulations and government relations, organization, and public relations and, currently 15 companies as its members; previously there were 24 members, but due to issues arising from the Horticulture Law of 2009, some multinational seed companies faced regulatory challenges, resulting in impacts on business activities and thus membership. However, the regulatory environment has improved greatly, and the country is aiming to attract more foreign investment.
The Japan Seed Trade Association (JASTA) traces its roots back to the All Japan Seed Traders Union and was officially established in 1973 as a government-approved incorporated association. As a member of ISF
(International Seed Foundation) and APSA, JASTA boasts a membership of approximately 922 members. The association comprises around 50 fully integrated seed companies with breeding programs and seed production sections, along with wholesalers, distributors, and over 800 local retailers. The Secretariat, consisting of six individuals, supports the association's operations. JASTA operates through eight technical committees, including Membership, Policy, Legal Affairs, Public Relations, Ethics & Compliance, Technical Research, Management & Distribution, and Plant Protection. Furthermore, it has six sections dedicated to specific areas, such as Vegetable Seed, Flower & Vegetative Propagation Crop, Forage & Turf, Seedling, Agricultural Materials, and International section. The association also has 46 Prefecture Chapters across Japan. JASTA is actively engaged in various activities. Notably, they conduct dietary education programs for elementary school children, offering hands-on agricultural experiences focused on seedlings and planting. This initiative has been ongoing for 15 years. The association publishes a monthly magazine with the slogan "The Good Seeds Make Your Life Enriched." Their mission is to contribute to the advancement of horticultural farm crop production in Japan. JASTA aims to promote plant breeding by private seed companies, specifically for horticultural seeds and seedlings, to improve their productivity and characteristics in response to the evolving demands of Japanese consumers. They also focus on facilitating the smooth distribution of excellent varieties and enhancing international cooperation. An important aspect of JASTA's activities is plant
variety crop selection. The association organizes competitions, such as the 'All Japanese' variety selection, which occur around 20 times per year for vegetables and flowers. These competitions, conducted in collaboration with Public Research Institutes and the Ministry of Agriculture, involve selecting outstanding varieties based on factors such as crop, growing season, and location.
The National Seed Association Malaysia (NSAM) was established in 2008 by a group of academicians from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and researchers from relevant agencies such as the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, the Department of Agriculture, Malaysia, the National Seed Association Malaysia (NSAM) represents the interests of various stakeholders in the seed industry and currently has 196 members. Among them, nine seed companies are part of the association, with two involved in seed production and the rest engaged in seed trading. Playing a crucial role in advancing the seed industry in Malaysia through the organization of events, facilitation of training programs, and promotion of collaboration between stakeholders, NSAM aims to act as an official body
representing the professional interests of all stakeholders in the seed industry. It also serves as a referral center for the seed and planting material industry, promoting knowledge advancement in seed and planting materials science. The association organizes public lectures, talks, and conferences on pertinent topics such as seed conservation, agriculture, and climate change.
The Philippine Seed Industry Association (PSIA) is comprised of 32 members, including multinational companies, local companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and agro–dealers. Dr. Gabriel Romero serves as the Executive Director of the association. The PSIA holds bimonthly meetings of the board and operates through various technical committees such as the Membership Development Committee, Variety Awareness Committee, Phytosanitary and International Trade Committee, Intellectual Property and Ethics Committee, Technology Development Committee, and Communications and Social Media Committee. PSIA's key priorities include: Elevating the profile of PSIA: PSIA actively engages in policy–making and regulatory bodies such as the National Seed Industry Council. They are involved in the National
Seed Technology Park project and the implementation of Farmers' Rights under the ITPGRFA. Assisting with policy formulation: PSIA provides inputs and comments on proposed regulations and policies of the Department of Agriculture. They participate in the revision of the Seed Act to define illegal seed practices and maintain regular dialogues with Department of Agriculture officials to address industry issues. Raising awareness on the importance of quality seeds: PSIA conducts various activities such as variety awareness programs, technical demonstrations, and field days to showcase seed varieties. They co-organize national seed summits and farmers' forums to promote knowledge exchange and best practices. Additionally, PSIA participates in agricultural fairs and exhibitions to highlight quality seeds and farming innovations. Promoting increased consumption of vegetables: PSIA collaborates with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education to establish school and community vegetable gardens. They conduct campaigns and awareness programs to encourage higher per capita consumption of vegetables. Capacity building of members: PSIA conducts yearly seedsmen’s update courses in collaboration with the Institute of Plant Breeding at the University of the Philippines. They also organize study tours to learn from other countries and conduct webinars and seminars on seed and farming innovations.
The Seed Association of Nepal (SEAN) was established in 1989 and currently has around 2,500 members, including agro–dealers and retailers throughout the country. Membership in the association is a requirement to obtain a seed–selling license, leading to widespread membership even among small seed shops in villages. There are only 15 active seed producing and marketing companies within SEAN. The association is structured with a Central Committee of 21 members, including three vice presidents responsible for import, production, and distribution aspects. SEAN also has seven provincial committees and 46 District Coordination Committees. The association focuses on policy advocacy, including the formulation of seedrelated acts, rules, and regulations. It conducts capacity–building activities, such as training, workshops, seminars, and annual general meetings. SEAN facilitates the exchange of market and technical information among its members and conducts studies and surveys to support policy decisions. It
also provides coordination and support in resolving issues and disputes, particularly related to compensation claims arising from the use of substandard seeds by farmers. SEAN also assists its members in accessing soft loans for business investment, research, and infrastructure development.
The Vietnam Seed Trade Association (VSTA) has a well-defined structure with a president, three vice presidents,
and a secretariat consisting of four staff members. The association is supported by two committees: the Legal and Membership Development Committee, and the Science Technical, Cooperation and Communication Committee. Additionally, there is the Vietnam Seed Service Support Center, headed by the director. Given Vietnam's geographical expanse from north to south, the association is divided into different regional sub-associations. Currently, there are five sub-associations, namely the Northern Mountainous Area, Redriver and Northern Central Mid-land, Southern Central Mid-land and High Central Land, East South of the South, and Cuulong River Delta. These subassociations VSTA have a total of 154 members, with varying numbers in each area. In the near future, the association will consolidate members to be part of three main sub-regions (North, Central and South). The key mission of VSTA is to support the development of a healthy and stable national seed trade industry. The association's priorities include organizing events to disseminate and provide guidance on new regulations, particularly those outlined in the recently declared cultivation law. VSTA aims to inform its members about the law's provisions and encourage their active participation in major agricultural policies and strategies outlined by the government for the period from 2020 to 2030. Furthermore, VSTA acts as a representative for seed companies, proposing necessary amendments or solutions to issues identified in legal documents. The association also
offers consultancy services to both members and non-members, ensuring the protection of members' rights in accordance with the provisions for agricultural sector development. Overall, VSTA plays a crucial role in supporting and advancing the national seed industry in Vietnam.
Also represented at the meeting were representatives from the Feederation of Seed Industry of India (FSII); Indonesian Seed Association (ASBENINDO); Bangladesh Seed Association (BSA); Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP); Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA) and the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Summaries about these organizations, as well as several other seed associations in the APSA region, will be featured in our follow–up article in the Quarter 3 issue published by September. Meanwhile, a comprehensive overview of the discussions, outcomes, and country-level summaries are covered in the meeting report, which will be available via the APSA membership portal . CLICK HERE
APSA: First, congratulations on your new role as President and CEO of the East-West Seed Group. As someone who has worked much of his professional career in the AsiaPacific region, what are your views and perspectives for this region?
JCF: Thanks for the good wishes as well as for taking the time to visit us at EastWest Seed. I started travelling to Asia in the mid-1980s when I was still a student in Agronomy specializing in Tropical markets. Coincidentally that was around the same time when Simon N Groot (the founder of East-West Seed) came to Southeast Asia to establish EWS in the Philippines and Thailand, pursuing his vision. Back then, everybody was talking about the Asian Tigers and the potential of the emerging ASEAN economies. I also believed that the future would be bright and booming in this part of the world…The rest is history.
As we all know, this region has come a long way and in a relatively short period of time. Agriculture remains a dominant sector and a key driver for these economies. I have always been and always will remain bullish of the many opportunities ahead and the potential of this vast and culturally diverse region. Most international companies in the Agri sector want to be in Asia and they are fiercely competing to have a share of the market and be part of the growth story. We have also seen the emergence of strong local and regional players in various fields, who can rival with the best technologically. The talent market is buoyant and very competitive. Despite the recent slowdown and the many challenges to address, most of these countries are expected to continue growing, especially in the agriculture sector.
There are plenty of opportunities in this region for companies who understand market and customer needs. Who are committed to the long term and who bring innovative solutions especially in the face of market and climate changes. This is a highly competitive environment,
so you need to be differentiated and bring tangible and demonstrated value to producers whether they are smallholder farmers or large integrated organizations.
With your prior roles at the head of various Animal Nutrition and Health multinationals in this region, you’ve surely gained a great deal of business experience and insights. Based on what you’ve seen, and from the perspective of downstream agribusiness and food industry value chain, how do you see the future trends and evolution of the vegetable Industry?
Since I joined EWS a few months ago now, I have indeed observed that the animal production world is far more integrated when compared to vegetable production with large enterprises fully involved in all aspects of the value chain. The vegetable industry more specifically is very much fragmented. It involves smallholder farmers, although in some countries we are already seeing the emergence of larger commercial farms with more controlled environment and access to the marketplace.
We all know that in the Agri Industry the margins and value are not captured or realized at the farm, but throughout the supply chain all the way to the consumers. Just as an example, I recently visited the Philippines, and noted that the retail price of pumpkin at a nice supermarket downtown Manila is 6 times the ex-farm gate price paid to farmers!
At East West Seed, we are truly unique. Our purpose and our business model are fully aligned on serving and supporting smallholder tropical farmers to improve their livelihood. The farmers are at the heart of everything we do. We want to provide them with the best seeds as well as the necessary knowledge to crop them in the best condition and realize the genetic potential. I believe as a true market leader we need to look beyond seed and we have further opportunities to help our farmers especially in
capturing more value downstream. This is something we are actively exploring and engaging in.
You have an impressive resume and track record for success and industry sustainability. How would you describe your management style, and how do you define and measure success?
Leadership needs to be situational. There is no one-size-fit-all approach in this area. Leaders need to adapt to various situations and people constantly. Not the other way around! Leaders need to use their emotional intelligence to navigate complexity. Personally, I am always looking at diversity in an organization - especially diversity of thoughts. Multicultural environments are so energizing to me, most importantly in supporting younger talents. Let them grow and help them to reach their potential. In addition to that I strongly believe that a leader must possess and express certain core values such as: Integrity, Courage, and Conviction.
In terms of achieving success, for sure the “what” is important but the “how” is even more important to me and should be acknowledged and rewarded, as it contributes to stronger Organizational Health, which in return is key to success. More specifically, at East-West Seed, we define success by our ability to fulfill our mission of improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers. Today, we serve 20 million farmers under the tropics and our goal is to double this number in the coming 5 years. That’s ambitious and this is what we are striving
Whenever there is a change in leadership, the question of continuity comes up. Can you also share more about EWS growth plans?
JCF: Yes, you are right, when a new leader is appointed, everyone is wondering what is going to change. In my case I will stay focused for now on “Continuity in Transforming”.
What's in store for East-West Seed Group in this heart-to-heart with recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of East-West Seed Group, Jean-Christophe “JC” FilippiEast-West Seed is an amazing purposeled organization, which is among the top 10 vegetable seed companies in the world, ranking number 1 in terms of vegetable Seed Access Index. Since last year, the company has embarked in the execution of a 5-year strategy, calling on expanding and accelerating our reach and be able to serve more farmers especially in Africa and Latin America. This will be achieved both organically and through M&A, such as our acquisition of Hortec in Brazil. This will also be supported by continuous innovation in our unique tropical crop portfolio and investing in relevant services to support knowledge transfer in sustainable farming practices. In addition, we will continue to solidify our leadership position in our core Asian markets, looking beyond seed and helping our farmers access and capture further share of the value chain.
Finally, on the subject of sustainability, what are your views, thoughts, opinions, or plans?
JCF: As a seed company, I am convinced we can have significant impacts and play a critical role on sustainability. Through genetic / breeding improvement, we can develop new varieties that are more adapted to climate change and be disease resistant. In fact, our products are at the heart of sustainability.
Furthermore and as I shared earlier, EWS is unique in his capabilities to reach and support smallholder farmers who are the most vulnerable to climate changes. We can bring and deliver specific Knowledge Transfer programs in various tropical markets around the world to support farmers adapt their farming practices to the changing environment. Our foundations around the world are also very active to promote sustainable farming and healthy affordable food especially for the less fortunate of us.
Sustainability is and will remain a key component of East-West Seed's strategy and of what we do every day. In this area, small and honest approaches can make a big difference!
I am very much looking forward to leading the team through the next phase of growth, building on its current strategy to grow people and markets, with innovation and sustainability as the foundation
In this two-part series iteration of "Seed for Thought", we have the privilege of delving into the remarkable life and career of Dr. Zhang Mengyu. A distinguished figure in the seed industry. Dr. Zhang is a Past President and Honorary Lifetime Member of APSA, and recently retired to formally conclude a four-decade career. In the first part of the series, Dr. Zhang reflects on his path to seed in China and APSA, highlighting the pivotal moments that shaped his career. From his early days on rural farms and Chinese institutes, to his leadership positions at well-known multinational companies, Dr. Zhang's dedication and commitment have been instrumental in promoting international collaborations and advancing the seed industry in the AsiaPacific region.
I was born in 1962 in a small village in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, surrounded by fertile land where rice, wheat, rapeseed, and vegetables were grown for sustenance. Growing up in a rural area, agriculture and seeds left a lasting impression on me, as my family had relied on farming for generations. The village farmers carefully selected and preserved most of the grain seeds, while the township government occasionally distributed new varieties. Vegetable seeds were either purchased in rural markets or reserved by our family. Despite the year-round cultivation, there was always a shortage of food, requiring us to plant sweet potatoes and other non-grain crops to supplement our diet until the next rice harvest. I vividly remember the "busy vacations" during my schooling years, when we would assist our family with essential field work such as composting, transplanting rice, and harvesting. These experiences made agriculture and seeds a familiar part of my life.
My passion for agriculture and seeds was destined to grow. In 1981, five years after the resumption of the college entrance examination in China, I was admitted to the vegetable major at Nanjing Agricultural University, becoming the first university student from my village after the resumption. Four years later, upon graduation, I began my career at the China National Seed Station/China National Seed Corporation of MOA in Beijing, the premier seed industry institution in China at that time. This marked the beginning of my lifelong commitment to the field of seeds.
Initially, I assisted senior experts in vegetable overseas seed production, international seed trade, and exchanges. This allowed me to expand my knowledge and skills in various areas. Starting as a seed production technician, I diligently studied seed production technology and gradually progressed from assistant agronomist to agronomist, senior agronomist, and finally, an agricultural technology
promotion researcher. Alongside my professional growth, I pursued further education, completing my EMBA and PhD studies. Throughout my journey, I received invaluable training, guidance, and support from esteemed mentors, professors, company leaders, expert colleagues, and my accomplished wife, who is a renowned cucumber breeder. These experiences garnered me numerous honors.
In order to broaden my international perspective, diversify my career, and enhance my service capabilities centered around seeds, I subsequently held positions as the Director of Government Affairs at multinational seed companies, including DuPont Pioneer China and Syngenta China. After working with the China National Seed Group Corporation (CNSG) for 25 years, these roles provided me with invaluable insights into the challenges faced by the seed industry today, from various perspectives and dimensions.
Throughout my 38-year career, I have witnessed remarkable advancements in seed technology in China, the Asia-Pacific region, and globally, leading to the rapid development of agriculture. I have personally seen the China crop seed market undergo a significant transformation, with its value rising from less than 4 billion US dollars during the ASC 2005 in Shanghai to approximately 10 billion US dollars today. This expanding market capacity has been accompanied by an accelerated pace of marketization within the seed industry and improvements in the legal framework, including seed laws and PVP regulations. The impact of seed development on food and agricultural products in China has been extraordinary, transitioning from scarcity to sufficiency. From the mid-1990s onwards, China broke away from a limited vegetable supply (predominantly Chinese cabbage, potatoes, and radishes in Northern China during winter) and fixed quantities of staple foods (rice, flour, sugar, meat) obtained through vouchers. Now, we have a thriving agricultural product market,
offering a wide variety of seasonal vegetables and diverse grain options, allowing consumers to choose according to their preferences. China has not only achieved food security but has also prioritized nutrition and health. The indispensable contribution of seeds to agricultural production in China stands at an impressive rate of over 46%.
China has been a strong supporter of APSA since its inception in 1994 and became a founding member. APSA's primary objective is to promote seed development and enhance food security in the Asia-Pacific region through highquality seed production and expanded trade. I had the privilege of attending the founding conference and the first ASC in Thailand as part of a CNSGC delegation comprising members of the Chinese seed industry. Over the years, several of my colleagues and friends from CNSGC and other companies have served on the APSA Executive Committee (EC), and we have engaged in frequent discussions on matters related to APSA. This early involvement allowed me to develop a comprehensive understanding of APSA. In 2001, with the endorsement of CNSGC and CNSTA, I represented the Chinese seed industry in running for the APSA EC. During the election process, I expressed my commitment to enhancing communication and collaboration among APSA EC members and seed industries in the Asia-Pacific region. Together, we aimed to achieve APSA's goals and objectives while fostering the mutual development of the seed industry in our region. The attending representatives responded positively to my election oath, leading to my successful appointment as an EC member and embarking on my journey of serving APSA.
I distinctly remember that when I first joined the EC, APSA faced certain challenges. The organization lacked strong financial capabilities, experienced membership fluctuations, and hosted limited activities and events. Financial support and coordination from FAO were crucial during this period. Coincidentally, the Chinese seed industry had
just commenced its marketization process, with relatively few Chinese enterprises and professionals actively participating in international seed events and exhibitions such as ASC/ APSA and WSC/ISF. Many lacked a deep understanding of the importance of joining APSA. Consequently, the number of Chinese members within APSA was limited, and their membership was intermittent, resulting in relatively low engagement during ASC, and exhibition booths were a rarity. Typically, representatives from CNSGC and CNSTA attended these events and subsequently disseminated the information about ASC and the global seed industry to the Chinese seed industry through domestic seed events and magazines.
During my tenure as an APSA Executive Committee (EC) member, I actively promoted and publicized APSA in China, with a particular focus on the following areas:
Promoting APSA Membership and Internationalization: Working in collaboration with the National Seed Associations, I engaged in extensive communication with government entities, including MOA, to encourage seed companies in China to actively join APSA and participate in the ASC for business cooperation in seed import and export. Recognizing the language barrier as a hindrance to active participation by Chinese companies, I advocated for the recruitment of an APSA representative in China. This dedicated representative coordinated membership development, ASC participation, and assisted in organizing the ASC 2005 in Shanghai. This initiative proved highly effective and continues to this day.
Hosting the ASC in China: To elevate APSA's influence in China and create awareness within the Chinese seed industry about international seed industry developments, I worked with the support of APSA's Executive Committee and obtained approval from relevant Chinese government departments, such as MOA, MFA, and the Shanghai Municipal Government, to successfully bring the ASC 2005 to China. Together with the APSA Secretary General, we visited Professor Yuan Longping, the Father of Hybrid Rice, who delivered a keynote speech at ASC 2005. The largest ASC to date was successfully held in Shanghai, enabling Chinese seed enterprises to personally attend the international seed conference, witness the global seed industry's progress, engage in on-site negotiations for international seed business,
experience the business opportunities facilitated by APSA, and further the internationalization of China's seed industry.
Strengthening APSA's Positioning in the Global Seed Industry: Collaborating with fellow EC members, I focused on enhancing APSA's global coordination capabilities. APSA is the largest regional seed association in the world, serving a region characterized by diverse populations, religions, languages, cultures, and social systems. By fostering communication and cooperation between APSA and national seed associations in the Asia-Pacific region, and by engaging with relevant governments on technical, practical, and legal matters pertaining to seeds, including intellectual property protection and inspection and quarantine protocols, we aimed to support the healthy development of APSA and the AsiaPacific seed industry. Furthermore, we fostered collaborations with other international seed-related organizations such as ISF, UPOV, ISTA, as well as regional and national seed organizations outside the Asia-Pacific region. These partnerships aimed to promote the sustainable, healthy, and stable growth of the global seed industry, thereby contributing to global food security and establishing APSA's significant position within the global seed industry. The efforts of past and present APSA presidents and EC members have yielded fruitful results in areas such as membership development, policy exchanges,
technology training, and the establishment of the ASC platform.
Continuing Support for APSA: Even after stepping down as APSA President, I remained actively involved and closely collaborated with the APSA Secretariat and past and present EC members to address various difficulties and challenges encountered in recent years, ensuring APSA's steady progress. Throughout my service as an EC member, I dedicated eight consecutive years to APSA, making significant contributions. I am grateful for the recognition bestowed upon me by APSA, including being elected as APSA President at the EC meeting during the ASC 2005 in Shanghai and being honored as an Honorary Life Member of APSA in 2018.
This concludes part one of two. Stay tuned for part two of two, to be featured in the next issue.
The Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA)-World Vegetable Center Vegetable Breeding Consortium held its 7th annual workshop on 9-10 May 2023 at WorldVeg headquarters in Shanhua, Taiwan, to exchange information on breeding of elite breeding lines of tomato, pepper and bitter gourd. Two staff from APSA joined 77 participants from 35 consortium companies from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Thailand, and 18 WorldVeg scientists for discussions, intensive presentations and information exchange on the Center’s breeding work and field evaluations of elite breeding lines of tomato, pepper, and bitter gourd.
The mandate of the World Vegetable Center is to realize the potential of vegetables for healthy lives and resilient livelihoods. “To achieve this,” said Marco Wopereis, WorldVeg Director General, “the link we have made with seed companies is essential, as the private sector ensures that improved genetic material gets to farmers.”
In the welcoming remarks, Marco Wopereis was happy to explain that the consortium started with 19 member companies in 2017, now expanded to 51, and that information on seed sales provides WorldVeg with realtime dashboard impact of improved vegetable varieties and helps to shape its breeding objectives. “I am very proud of this consortium, and working together we can achieve more in the future”.
Kunaporn Phuntunil, APSA Technical Coordination Manager added that “this consortium answers the call of member companies for access to new disease resistant and climate resilient lines, and this multilateral partnership is key to our sustainability.”
of seed of these varieties in 2022. The number of varieties based on WorldVeg germplasm has steadily increased since 2018. The amount of seed sold is enough to potentially plant 257,000 hectares and benefit 703,000 farming households in Asia.
Special recognition was given to four companies for their contribution to the impact of international plant breeding: JK Agri Genetics (tomato), PT. East West Seed Indonesia (pepper), VNR Seeds (bitter gourd), and Clover Seed (pumpkin). WorldVeg also presented awards to 12 companies for providing the most data, to Chia Tai Co., Clover Seed Co., East West Seed International, I & B Seeds Pvt., Kaveri Seed Co., Known-You Seed Co., Namdhari Seeds Pvt., Noble Seeds Pvt., Nongwoo Seed India Pvt., PT. East West Seed Indonesia, Seedworks International Pvt., and Takii & Co.
Tomato breeder Assaf Eybishitz presented tomato lines that combined multiple Ty genes resistance to bacterial wilt and pyramiding TSW virus, heat adaptation, improved yield and preferred horticultural traits. Future focus is to develop a strategy to identify, diagnose and implement tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) resistance.
Pepper breeder Derek Barchenger shared progress in heat tolerance while maintaining high yields and diverse fruit shapes and sizes suitable for different market segments. Future research will include a focus on resistance to begomoviruses, thrips and anthracnose, advancing resistance in populations, molecular marker development for key traits, and strengthening South Asia breeding programs.
Cucurbit breeder Narinder Dhillion noted successes in partnership with the private seed sector and national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) in developing elite lines of tropical pumpkin, bitter gourd and luffa gourd. Improved breeding lines and F1 hybrids will be displayed during field days at the WorldVeg research and training station in Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand: bitter gourd on 9-10 August and loofah on 14 December 2023.
On behalf of WorldVeg Flagship Leader for Enabling Impact Pepin Schreinemachers, Flagship Leader for Vegetable
Roland Schafleitner shared survey results with consortium members reporting the commercialization of 158 vegetable varieties wholly or partially based on WorldVeg germplasm.
Members sold an estimated 50 tonnes
And omics breeding Ya-ping Lin briefed the establishment of both restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to accelerate marker development in vegetable breeding populations.
Ideas for special projects on developing host resistance to black thrips in chili pepper, creating sustainable markets with solid loofah genetics, and advanced multi-disease and insect–resistant tomato lines were also presented for consortium members to consider regarding specific needs and concerns. In addition, 21 participants were motivated to share their views and experiences with the consortium for
future improvement which concluded the first-day workshop with lots of excitement, encouragement and constructive suggestions.
Seeing is believing
Participants took a close look at WorldVeg breeding materials in trials of fresh market and dual purpose tomato lines with resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl disease and bacterial
wilt amongst other diseases; newly developed hybrids and yield trials of hot and sweet pepper lines with multiple disease resistance; and a trial of bitter gourd F1 hybrids with good fruit quality and resistance to local isolate of cucurbit powdery mildew in Thailand for short and medium market segments. Later, in the cool storage rooms of the WorldVeg genebank, manager Maarten van Zonneveld and curators outlined
the crucial processes for long-term germplasm preservation and distribution.
Taiwan seed companies and vegetable associations demonstrated their elite vegetable varieties, catalogs and flyers at a dozen booths. Participants actively interacted with exhibitors and obtained seed samples for testing. In addition,
29 one-on-one meetings were arranged for 39 participants from 18 consortium companies to discuss with WorldVeg breeders their companies’ specific needs.
A post-workshop tour was organized this year to visit the ARK tomatolocal tomato production under control environment, Fu-tian vegetable nursery as well as the Taiwan Agricultural
Special recognition was given to JK Agri Genetics, PT. East West Seed Indonesia (received by Fatkhu Rokhman) (right), VNR Seeds (received by Parag Agarwal), (bottom right) and Clover Seed (received by Chung Cheng Lin) (bottom left) for their contribution to the impact of international tomato, pepper, bitter gourd and pumpkin breeding
Research Institute.
The event concluded with a strong commitment to further collaborate and innovate plant breeding together for their mutual advantage, to better serve farmers in Asia, and to help them respond to climate change with new and better seed of adapted vegetable varieties.
On April 1st, the 2023 China Seed Conference and Southern Silicon Valley Forum opened in Sanya, Hainan. More than 3000 people from the Chinese seed industry gathered at the event, with the theme of "The Revitalization of China's Seed Industry and the Rise of Southern Silicon Valley." The conference provided a platform for the public and private sectors to discuss cooperation for the revitalization of the Chinese seed industry.
Organized by the China Seed Association (CSA) during its first two years (2018 and 2019) in Beijing, the conference was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, and reestablished in 2021 as a physical meeting in its new home in the city of Sanya, on the island of Hainan.
The opening ceremony and the main forum were held on April 1st, featuring speeches and presentations from dignitaries, and academic experts, who presented on the latest developments and trends in China’s seed sector. In addition to recognition ceremonies and the main forum focused on the aforementioned conference theme, there were 13 sub-forums on April 2 and 3, including forums on germplasm resource protection and utilization, biological breeding industrialization, and international cooperation.
In his opening remarks, Academician Wu Weihua, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, expressed that the current revitalization of the seed industry had achieved a good start. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China has carried out the largest general survey of agricultural germplasm resources, launched actions on key provenances and key technologies, selected national seed industry enterprises, improved the national seed breeding system, and implemented a series of fruitful work on market purification and intellectual property protection, resulting in many progressions and breakthroughs.
Among the conference’s award ceremonies was the "China Seed Industry Credit Star Enterprise," recognition program, announced by Mrs. Ma Shuping, Vice President of the China Seed Association. Since 2011, the China Seed Association has evaluated enterprises in the seed industry and has awarded a total of 783 credit enterprises over the past 12 years from the 935 enterprises evaluated.
Delegates not only had the chance to learn from technical and academic presentations featured in various forums and seminars, but they also had ample opportunities to discuss business and collaboration in the exhibition hall. Over 50 companies, including APSA members Winall Hi-Tech, Minpack Technology (Shanghai), Wuhan Yafei Seed, and NingXia Taijin Seed, exhibited their products and services.
During the International Cooperation Forum on April 2, APSA Executive Director Dr. Kanokwan Chodchoey presented online during the forum, emphasizing the importance of public and private cooperation in addressing the various issues that the seed industry faces.
One of the forum's highlights was the signing ceremony for the University Connect initiation Memorandum of Understanding between APSA, Northwest A&F University, and CSA. Mr. Jiang Xiexin, CSA Vice President and Secretary-General, expressed appreciation to APSA for launching the project and thanked Northwest A&F University for promoting and actively participating in the project. He noted that signing the cooperation memorandum was significant and would
create a new talent training model through the participation of international and domestic industry organizations and universities. He also expressed hope that the memorandum's signing would accelerate China's international seed industry's talent training and improve its international competitiveness.
Dr. Manish Patel, APSA president, highlighted the symbolic importance of the MOU. He said that China, along with his home country India, was one of APSA's primary territories in terms of membership representation, making it fitting that the first of several planned partnerships be signed with China. He emphasized the importance of capacity building and noted that APSA's partnerships with various universities, including the National Association of India, GB Pant Agricultural University, Thai Seed Trade Association, and Khon Kaen University, would help tackle the challenges of sustainable agriculture.
Mr. Wu Pute, the president of the Northwest A&F University, introduced the university and expressed his suggestions for the next steps. He said that the MOU on University Connect Program jointly signed with the CSA and APSA would connect agriculture-related universities, enterprises, and seed industry associations of various countries in the Asia-Pacific region, providing an important platform for training high-quality talents in the seed industry. He suggested that all parties further strengthen scientific research cooperation with countries in the AsiaPacific region to make efficient use of seed industry resources and actively participate in intergovernmental international scientific and technological cooperation programs.
On 25 April, representatives from 23 member companies of APSA’s Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies (WIC) convened in their annual midterm meeting.
The in-person meeting was convened at the Four Points by Sheraton in Bangkok, Thailand, with several participants and observers also joining online.
Welcoming participants, WIC Chair Takahiro Ando expressed pleasure for travel restrictions being lifted, and allowing business travel once again.
“We hope that this year the seed industry will see many developments and hope that this WIC group will contribute to that improvement,” he said
Following formalities, the meeting formally commenced with discussions on burning issues affecting regional vegetable seed production and trade.
First on the agenda -- disruptive phytosanitary measures on seed imports to India — a mandate for Additional Declarations to be endorsed on original phytosanitary certificates issued in seed consignments’ country of origin.
Stemming from a September 2021 office memorandum circulated by India’s Plant Protection Advisor (PPA), compliance is particularly problematic for reexport consignments that have moved through multiple countries, for breeding, processing or testing, before finally
reaching India.
Though the Secretary of Agriculture relaxed the requirement to facilitate seed movements, this stay is set to expire this coming September.
A delegation from the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) updated that the Secretary of Agriculture recently assured industry reps that “seed trade will not be stopped” – hence, the stay is expected to be extended beyond September 2023.
Meanwhile, FSII will sustain efforts, engagement and dialogue with the PPA and other concerned officials. The delegation proposed the establishment of a technical committee to include seed industry reps from both the public and private sectors, including pathologists, and biologists, which would work to create a common understanding of technical issues on a scientific basis and conduct advocacy and education efforts to increase awareness and accountability within the government. It was also motioned for all seed companies to sign a code of conduct to ensure the phytosanitary compliance, which could also provide leverage for the industry in dialogue with the government.
The next issue discussed was the status of breeders' and farmers' rights in the region, as indicated by a recent survey distributed by APSA to reps of seven national seed associations. The
survey provided useful information on various trends and practices, including seed production, farm-saved seeds and smallholder farmers.
Pending checks and validation of survey data, a summary paper will be drafted and shared with WIC and SC IPR and Biodiversity members for final review, before distribution amongst APSA members for internal use.
WIC members then discussed the need for arbitration mechanisms to resolve issues between ASA members. Following up on discussions between WIC members and the International Seed Federation, it was motioned for APSA to promote and incorporate ISF’s Arbitration Rules as part of APSA’s Code of Conduct. This proposal would be further considered by APSA’s EC, while the adoption of APSA’s Code of Conduct will be considered at the association’s Annual General Meeting this November.
Another burning issue discussed was the implementation of seed production rules in Indonesia, which prohibit the import of most types of seeds after two years. These rules, which have been in place for the better part of the last decade, were mandated as part of efforts by the Indonesian government to boost domestic seed production; however, a lack of technical capacity and incompatibility of certain types of crops with the Indonesian climate (especially temperate clime crops, Brassica sp. Etc.) has posed critical challenges for both
seed companies and the country’s food security.
APSA agreed to prioritize the issue in discussions with seed association reps (ASBENINDO and HORTINDO) during the seed association meeting (See page 20) and through these associations would continue to engage the government in order to achieve a suitable resolution.
The next issue discussed concerned trademark issues stemming from the alleged abuse of Viet Nam’s recentlyimplemented requirement for seed companies to register their variety names in a national database. Several WIC members alleged that their own variety names had been registered by other companies, forcing affected companies to create new names for registration purposes.
APSA agreed to work with the Vietnam Seed Trade Association to resolve the issue, which has also affected local companies. VSTA has already written a letter to the government, and APSA will draft its own letter to raise the issue with the government. Meanwhile, a multistakeholder meeting was proposed to
facilitate dialogue amongst multinational and local seed companies, and reps from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Another proposal to be considered is the creation an independently-managed variety name database, which would enable companies to easily check existing variety names.
The final burning issue addressed concerned testing requirements mandated by the Pakistan NPPO, for inbound cucumber and bitter gourd seeds, specifically for the Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV). The requirement was not communicated in advance to trading partners, and there was no scientific evidence referenced to justify the measure. Though Thailand’s Department of Agriculture was able to confirm compliance, it was noted that there is limited testing capacity in other countries. APSA agreed to work with the Seed Association of Pakistan to resolve this issue with the government.
Aside from this, WIC members also discussed progress on APSA’s University Connect Program, including the signing of several Memorandum of
Understanding agreements with several universities in the region (see page 31)
Regarding the WIC’s Disease Resistance Terminology (DRT) project, progress and setbacks were relayed from the bitter gourd, bitter gourd powdery mildew, and watermelon fusarium wilt subgroups.
Another important update shared was the latest progress with the Seed Innovation and Protection Initiative (SIPI) presented by WIC Co-Chair, Mr Harendra Singh, which is ready to commence activities related to tackling illegal seed practices. Having confirmed registration in Singapore, the organization was due to recruit an Executive within June.
Other topics discussed include plans to survey members for new initiatives; the forming of a new working group for vegetable seed production and planning of APSA Young Club meeting agenda during the Asian Seed Congress in November.
Full details are included in the WIC meeting minutes and action sheet, available to active members via APSA’s website.
The committee had tremendously contributed to APSA Seed Association Meeting Apr 26-27 by engaging in sessions on topics such as Access and Benefit Sharing for genetic resources and PVP, farmers' rights, breeders' rights, and Essentially Derived Varieties (EDV) issues. Key representatives from seed associations in multiple countries
had fruitful discussions on collaborative priorities in the Asia-Pacific region. Besides, the committee is actively finalizing the APSA Congress Workshop agenda, which focuses on the theme of the perspective of breeders regarding EDV and also the SC IPR & Biodiversity Technical Session program during November ASC.
First, we are pleased to announce a significant milestone for Bangladesh's seed industry. The MNT Seed Testing Laboratory, a division of Lal Teer Seed Limited led by our Seed Tech committee, Md. Azizul Hoque, has become the first lab in the country to receive accreditation from the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). This accomplishment highlights Bangladesh's commitment to seed quality and underscores the lab's exceptional standards. Visit this link for more info.
The first ST webinar on seed priming was successfully organized on May 16 with almost 200 live participants. A recorded webinar video, presentations, and a Q&A list are available for free access through the APSA Seed Academy Platform, which is the newest digital learning hub for APSA members to enhance your expertise in key areas such as intellectual property rights, seed technology and breeding innovation. For more info visit APSA Seed Academy webpage.
virus (ToBRFV). A joint letter from APSA, CropLife Asia and ISF was sent to express these concerns to the Director General of the Plant Protection Department in Vietnam regarding the addition of ToBRFV without reference to PRA results and without specifying commodity and crops.
of seeds to Pakistan. The SC ITQ committee is currently discussing the possibility of providing comments to the Plant Quarantine in Pakistan to request the removal of this pest.
The SC ITQ committee has been engaged in policy advocacy to support the international movement of quality seeds. The first update pertains to an SPS notification from Vietnam, which includes the proposed adoption of an updated quarantine pest list that includes Tomato brown rugose fruit
The APSA Field Crops Webinar on Millets organized in commemoration of the International Year of Millets (#IYM2023) on June 15 was a resounding success. The webinar served as a valuable platform to explore the significance of millets and their role in addressing food security and climate change challenges. Voting reps can access webinar records via APSA Seed Academy Platform.
Another update concerns the import conditions of cucumber and bitter gourd seeds to Pakistan. Cucurbit aphisborne yellow virus (CABYV) has been added as a quarantine pest, which has significant implications for farmers in Pakistan. However, authorized labs in exporting countries have confirmed that there are no available lab tests for CABYV except in Thailand. This has resulted in a halt in the movement
In other news, the government of Pakistan has granted a five-year grace period for the implementation of a previously announced seed production mandate. This mandate required seed–importing companies to produce a certain percentage of seed locally. The grace period, outlined in a circulated document, applies retroactively from 2022 through 2027 and is the result of sustained advocacy efforts by the international seed sector, led by CropLife Pakistan. Click APSA Seed Industry News of each country for detailed info.
Besides, the committee is pleased to announce the exciting "Hybrid Rice and Corn Study Tour in the Philippines" from Sept 17 to 23. Organized by the APSA SIG Field Crops Committee and the Philippine Seed Industry Association (PSIA) in collaboration with the Rice Board, this tour promises an immersive and informative experience for hybrid rice and corn seed production. For more info hybrid rice and corn study tour page.
SIG Field Crops
Co-Chair:
The committee has been communicating with sub-groups on the activity updates. Based on the survey result, the SIG Veg & Orn study tour on urban and hitech farming will be organized in Japan tentatively early next year. Besides, it
was agreed on the APSA-ISTA workshop on “Seed Vigor Testing Workshop”. will be in Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand in September. Stay tuned for more updates on upcoming events and initiatives from the committee.
SIG Vegetables & Ornamentals
The first WIC 2023 meeting was organized on April 25 in Bangkok, Thailand. During the meeting, members updated on progress and activities concerning the burning issues in the APAC region, University Connect Program, Disease Resistance Terminology (DRT) project and an update on the Seed Innovation and Protection Initiative (SIPI) project. Other new initiatives motioned include a proposal to establish a new a sub-group focused on vegetable seed production, and initiate a new survey amongst members to generate more ideas of new initiatives to work on together. Among them is to develop an agenda for APSA Young Club for the coming Asian Seed Congress. The next physical WIC meeting will be held on November 19 in Christchurch, New Zealand during the ASC. (See also WIC update on page 32).
The group changed a plan to send seeds via one of the Indian coapplicants because WorldVeg could not provide additional information required to send the seeds. WorldVeg and the 2 Indian companies are working together with APSA on the preparation of the documents and to update the National Biodiversity of India about the changes. As for the Watermelon Fusarium Wilt subgroup, we are still waiting for the completion of the phytosanitary process from USA. Once seeds are shipped to Thailand, the seed multiplication process can be started.
We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Seetharam Annadana, Chair of APSA's R&D AG, who was recognized during ICAR Annual meeting for his exceptional research contributions in horticulture. His innovative techniques and technology have enabled farmers and
breeders in the Asia Pacific to effectively screen for thrips and other costly pests, resulting in substantial cost savings and improved seed and vegetable food crop production. Additionally, Dr. Latha J. Reddy from Bayer has recently joined the APSA R&D AG, bringing her extensive expertise to the group. Lastly, Dr. G. Radhakrishnan's commendable work and dedication to the group have been greatly appreciated, and he is thanked wholeheartedly for his significant contributions since 2021.
This quarter, the group has successfully organized 2 webinars of APSA
Solanaciars TGIF on the theme of “Speed Breeding” and “the Omics of Solanaceous Crops" in April and June respectively. Besides, the APSA-ICAR IIHR project on Breeding for Chilli Leaf Curl Disease (ChiLVD) and South East Asian Thrips resistance in Chilli is moving forward with 10 companies joining.
Prof. Fan Xingming
Committee: SIG Field Crops
Company: Yunnan Tian Rui Seed Industry Co., Ltd.
Country: China
Professor Fan Xingming is the Chief Scientist of YAAS (Institute of Food Crops, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences) in Kunming, China. With a Ph.D. in Crop Genetics & Breeding from China Agriculture University, Beijing, and an MA in Agriculture from Chiang Mai University, Thailand, he has extensive expertise in crop genetics and breeding, hybrid development, and demonstration and extension. His research focuses on the utilization of maize germplasm from different climates. Fan Xingming has published numerous scientific articles and holds patents related to maize breeding methods. He has received multiple awards for his outstanding contributions and has memberships in various scientific societies.
Dr Woosik Kang
Committee: SC Seed Technology
Company: Korea Seed & Variety Service
Country: Korea
Woosik Kang is a professional specializing in seed physiology and seed testing. Currently, he serves as the R&D Scientist and Seed Testing Team Leader at the Korea Seed & Variety Service. With a diverse background in the field, he holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Seed Physiology from Deagu University in Korea, as well as a B.S. in Agriculture. Dr. Kang has made significant contributions to seed physiology, particularly in areas such as seed viability testing, germination testing, nondestructive determination of seed viability, seed technology, and the development of national competency standards in the seed production sector.
Mr Allan Nieves
Committee: SIG Field Crops
Company: Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
Country: Singapore
Allan Nieves is a seasoned professional in the Philippine seeds industry with almost 25 years of experience. After obtaining his Agriculture degree from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, he began his career as a research associate before joining Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines in 1997. Throughout his journey, Allan excelled in various roles, including field agronomist, Agronomy Manager, Commercial Operations Lead, Country Manager, and APAC Agronomy Lead, specializing in hybrid corn and rice testing, positioning, and farmer training. Currently, he serves as the APAC Technical Agronomy Lead, providing mentorship to agronomy teams in the region. Allan is based in Laguna, Philippines, where he and his wife Mylene raise their three young adult sons and enjoy their farm during weekends and free time.
Dr Latha J. Reddy
Committee: SIG Veg & Orn (R&D AG)
Company: Monsanto Holdings Pvt Ltd
Country: India
Latha J. Reddy is a versatile and experienced professional with a rich background in research and IT workflows in both academia and industry. As the Head of Innovation, Business, and Pipeline Planning for Veg R&D in the APAC region at Bayer, she demonstrates excellent leadership skills and plays a crucial role in Asia and global collaboration for vegetable business projects. Her expertise lies in enabling vegetable R&D with digital workflows, pipeline planning, managing projects within APAC and coordination and collaboration across the globe, IT product deployment, data mining, analysis, visualization and building partnership with relevant stakeholders.
Dr R. Rajasekaran
Committee: SC Seed Technology Company: SeedWorks International Pvt. Ltd. Country: India
Dr R. Rajasekaran is a highly experienced professional in the field of agriculture, specializing in Seed Science & Technology. With over 18 years of expertise in Quality Management, Production Planning & Control, and Project Execution, he has made significant contributions to the Seed Industry. Dr Rajasekaran has successfully implemented quality standards, monitored performance, and initiated continuous improvement initiatives, resulting in improved product quality and business excellence. He has played a key role in aligning QA processes with global organization and has been involved in accreditation processes. Dr Rajasekaran is a certified lead auditor and six sigma green belt holder and has demonstrated skills in process efficiency, risk management, and team development.
Mr Suresh Soosai Committee: SIG Field Crops Company: DuPont Pioneer, dba Corteva Agriscience Country: USA
Suresh Soosai is a highly experienced and self-motivated leader in the seed industry, currently serving as the Director of APAC Regional Seed Production and Supply Chain at Corteva Agriscience Private Limited. With a Master's degree in agriculture, specializing in Plant Breeding and Genetics, he has amassed 30 years of experience in various aspects of the seed industry. His expertise spans seed production management, marketing, product management, business management, and production and supply chain management at both the country and regional levels. Suresh has worked with a diverse range of field crops and possesses strong cross-functional knowledge in seed business operations across the APAC region.
Mr Marc Cool Committee: SC IPR & Biodiversity Company: DuPont Pioneer, dba Corteva Agriscience Country: USA
Marc Cool is a fifth-generation seedsman, holding a Master's Degree in Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology from the Agricultural University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. With a career spanning over 33 years, Marc has contributed significantly to the alfalfa seed industry in California, expanding global markets for proprietary varieties and technology. He later ventured into Oregon, assuming sales, marketing, and management responsibilities for the turf and forage grass sector across the Americas, Pacific Rim, and Asia. Currently, as part of the Corteva AgriscienceTM External Affairs group, Marc leads global seed policy development and supports the Seed Platform. He also plays a crucial role in engaging with global trade associations, focusing on shaping the global policy environment for genome editing, the latest innovation driving agricultural advancements.
Mr Md. Azizul Hoque
Committee: SC Seed Technology
Company: Lal Teer Seed Limited
Country: Bangladesh
Md. Azizul Hoque is a seasoned professional in the field of seed technology with 12 years of experience. As a Technical Manager at the MNT Seed Testing Laboratory, he has been actively involved in various aspects of seed quality evaluation, seed production, and seed quality assurance. His expertise lies in ensuring the adherence to international standards and implementing quality control measures to maintain the highest standards in seed testing and production. Through his extensive training and participation in workshops, he has gained in-depth knowledge of seed health testing, seed sampling, purity, germination, moisture determination and tetrazolium test for seed viability & vigour analysis.
be hosted in this part of the region and more importantly, I think. APSA's view of the world is that we have a big family and that it was important to recognize the seed industry in the South West Pacific, in particular in the Oceania region.
Mike: Do you have any recommendations or comments for other seed associations looking to bid for hosting upcoming Asian Seed Congresses? What should they focus on in their proposal?
Christchurch, New Zealand is the location for this year's Asian Seed Congress. To learn more, APSA Event Manager Mike Kingpayom sat down with Thomas Chin, general manager for the New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association, which is this year's National Organizing Committee
Mike: Can you tell us a little bit about the New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association, your members and current activities?
Thomas: The New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association is 104 years old this year. We have around about 85 members, who are spread out across New Zealand, though the bulk of the membership is based here in the Canterbury region, which is our seed growing and seed production area. The association is ostensibly an advocacy body, and so we represent primarily our members with our regulators and the government and and policymakers.
Mike: Moving straight to the topic of the Congress. Was it hard during the bidding the bidding process to get the Asian Seed Congress to be held here in New Zealand?
Thomas: Well, I think we weren't taking anything for granted in our bid. We were aware that there were four other parties that were bidding for the right to host the Congress and we know that each of those other bidders put in very good proposals. For New Zealand, I think the key factor the APSA EC took on board was the fact that it would be the first time to award the Congress to New Zealand—the first time it would
Thomas: I think this a prime opportunity to showcase your country or region and obviously, local seed production, or the seed industry. I think we also made a very compelling argument to the organisers that we would be showcasing a fairly unique product to the delegates. So yes, we look forward to demonstrating that in person in that in a few months time.
Mike: So this year's Asian Seed Congress will be the 28th year, and we’ve held it in various countries like Thailand, India and China, and as mentioned, this will be the first time in New Zealand. Is there any aspect or part of the Congress that you're really looking forward to?
Thomas: Going back to my previous answer, it is an important showcase for the international delegates, that they can come and see firsthand the nature and the extent of our seed production
and seed business in New Zealand. We are world – renowned for a number of seed crops, seed types, so it's it a very good opportunity to showcase that to the region and to the world.
Mike: The Asian Seed Congress 2023 will be held from the 20th to the 24th of November. Considering that registration opened on May 1st, should delegates, who haven’t already, start the registration and visa application process sooner? — BecauseI understand that the visa process for New Zealand may be difficult for some countries’ citizens. What's your recommendation?
Thomas: Indeed, there are some ongoing challenges with regard to securing visas for some, not necessarily because it's difficult, but due to the general challenges with bureaucracy in terms of processing applications and turning them around in time. So the best advice for delegates who are coming or thinking of coming to Christchurch, New Zealand, is to not delay in submitting your documentation early to avoid any disappointment of any delays in getting your visa.
Mike: How about for any companies looking to bring in and showcase their produce or seeds?
Thomas: One of the unique features of the new New Zealand market is that we have a very, very strict biosecurity and
phytosanitary regime. To protect New Zealand so unashamedly, the officials are strict in that regard, so there are a set of rules and regulations relating to the importation of seed. We have information on Congress website (see end info) which advises delegates on the processes and procedures if they intend to bring material to to New Zealand. In the case of fresh produce, the regime is even stricter, so I think it might be best in that regard to source fresh produce locally.
Mike: Do you have anything else to relay to members and delegates regarding this year's upcoming Asian Seed Congress.?
Thomas: I want to use this opportunity to encourage APSA delegates to come to New Zealand — come and check out the Kiwi hospitality, where we are and our part of the world. You won't be disappointed. You will have a very, very special and unique experience in New Zealand!
This interview was originally featured as an APSA Insight video interview shared with members at the end of March 2023. For more details about NZGSTA, visit nzgsta.co.nz, and for the Asian Seed Congress 2023, visit: apsaseed.org/ asc2023
#SeedYouInChristchurch
APSA Seed Technology Webinar Session 2 - Seed Drying (APSA Members Only)
Philippines Hybrid Rice & Hybrid Corn Study Tour Seed Vigour Testing Workshop
APSA Solanaciars TGIF Session 3 (APSA Members Only)
July 25, 2023
September 17-23, 2023
September 26-28, 2023
September 29, 2023
Webinar (Zoom and APSA's website)
https://web.apsaseed.org/events/2023-apsa-seedtechnology-webinar-session-2
Manila & Davao, Philippines
https://web.apsaseed.org/events/philippines-hybridrice-hybrid-corn-study-tour
KU Laboratory, Kasetsart University
Bangkok, Thailand
https://web.apsaseed.org/events/seed-vigourtesting-workshop
APSA Seed Academy virtual platform
https://web.apsaseed.org/events/2023-apsasolanaciars-tgif
