ASIA PACIFIC: A round-up of important seed industry and related news highlights from India, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand – covering everything from cotton, paddy, corn, pasture, fruits and vegetables to imports, exports, seed treatments and bio insecticides. News has been separated into country-specific pages, which will be updated throughout the month, as follows:
- India revised Seeds Bill could be tabled again; cotton volatility, input factors keep farmers on their toes; new Desi Bt cotton approvals; pulse and rabi planting area up this winter...
- Sri Lanka Slow-releasing fertilizer developed; ag exports suffering from multiple barriers
- China & Chinese Taipei Importing American potatoes; 2,000 year old seeds found in Mongolian tomb. Farmers told to protect crops from cold spell; 5,000 year old beer recipe includes millets, barley seeds; 2017 import tariffs slashed for more than 8,500 commodities; showcasing tea seed oil factory showcases pressing process
- Myanmar – 230 orchid seed varities deposited into global seed vault; quality seeds, technology help Myanmar soybean farmers adapt to Climate Change
- Laos – Northern province halts chemical-heavy banana operations
- Cambodia: Six new phytosanitary border trade inspection offices to be operational this year.
- Malaysia coconut imports, prices surge ahead of Hindu festival
- Thailand boosted ag, industrial exports in December ensure 2016 surplus year
- Indonesia Oilseed operations ramped up by Hong Kong firm; free government seeds to address West Sumatra chili inflation
- Philippines Certified seeds distributed to 87,000 farmers adversely impacted by typhoon; to export tropical fruits and natural rubber to Iran in exchange for apples, nuts and synthetic rubber
- Australia & New Zealand Bug detection leads to solanaceous crop ban; Dry weather impacts maize and cotton production; Gigantic blueberries; Horticulture bumper crops anticipated in New Zealand despite nasty weather; Kiwifruit originally from China; US patented bioinsecticide product set to sell in New Zealand and Australia from next year; pasture seed demand on the rise thanks to thriving livestock sector, optimistic outlook for grains and potatoes down under.
- Vietnam Increasing 'free trade' between Vietnam and the EU; Cashew nut import, re-export business booming
- Japan: Plant Protein Penetration through Pressure Plasma
- Transnational - Solomon Islands looks to export root crops to New Zealand. Australian listed seed breeder inks deal with Middle East vegetable seed distributor; Transpacific scientists identify family proteins thought responsible for carnivory evolution of pitcher plants; Armyworm destroying African maize feared could spread to Asia; Common Australian-American winter grazing methods shows promise for organic UK farm; New Year rice prices jump in Vietnam, India and Thailand
India
Proponents of the revised Seeds Bill say that GM crop research and utilization is direly needed and point out that it would also enable farmers to seek compensation from
producers of seeds that fail to meet standards and expectations. To replace a 1966 Seeds Bill, the revised bill had been tabled by the government in 2014 but had been put on hold since 2015 due to backlash from activists who argue that the liberalization of the seed trade would enable market control by MNCs, among other reservations.
India winter crop planting this year up 6%, pulses up 11%
As of January 27, 2017, the area devoted to Rabi or winter crops in India was estimated to be about 63.5 million hectares (156mn acres), an
increase of about 6% from last year. Planting area particularly rose for pulses crops, which were seeded on about 16 million ha (39mn acres). Traders are closely monitoring trends in South and North America.
India cotton volatility, input factors keep farmers on their toes
As the world’s largest producer of cotton, India currently has more than 10 million hectares allocated for cultivation, a majority of which utilizes genetically-modified Bt cotton. Citing increased chemical input costs, rising pest attacks and earlier industry expectations for a supply glut, many farmers decided to grow less cotton this year. However, increased demand from China, Bangladesh and Vietnam has fuelled an unexpected price rally, seeing spot prices jump by as much as 35%, from as low as INR4,500 per quintal (100kg) last year (the equivalent of about US$660 per tonne) up to INR6,100 per quintal ($890 / T) recently, with some expecting the price to breech INR6,500 ($950/T) in February.
In related news, the India Govt's Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) has received approval from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) for three new GM varieties (Bt). The new varieties, which were developed for India's northern region, reportedly only cost a fraction of prevailing Bt varieties,
have a short gestation period of 160-170 days, and farmers will be able to save seeds, which retain the resistant gene. CICR is reportedly planning to seek
approval for a handful more Bt varieties suitable for other parts of the country.
The National Seed Association of India is reporting that as a consequence of demonetization, vegetable and fruit farmers may have
suffered losses of up to INR 50,000 (US$747) per acre, the equivalent of INR 123,500 ($1846) per hectare, and many have had to revert to using inferior-quality seeds and use less agro-inputs.
This page was updated on February 16, 2017
Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan scientists develop 'slow release' fertilizer that can save on waste, boost crop yields. A research team, led by Nilwala Kottegoda, a materials scientist at the Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology in Hamagama have developed a fertilizer comprising urea and hydroxyapatite which they documented
increasing rice yields by 10% in one test...
Sri Lanka ag exports suffering from multiple bureaucratic barriers
Inefficient, archaic and unnecessary regulatory and administrative barriers in Sri Lanka are said to be responsible for a drastic decrease in agriculture exports, which represented only 12% of the country’s GDP in 2015, down from 33% in 2002. Among the outdated and restrictive laws cited in a recent study conducted jointly by Verite Research (VR) and the Lanka Fruit and Vegetables Producers, Processors and Exporters Association (LFVPPEA) include the Plant Protection Regulation in Extraordinary Gazette no 16 of 1981, the Plant Protection Act No 35 of 1999 and the Seed Act 22 of 2003, which was said to be instrumental in mooting the materialization of a National Seed Council. Exporters have to meet regulatory compliance with three seperate border agencies: the National Plant Quarantine Service, Sri Lanka Customs and Sri Lanka Cargo, which has had adverse effects on the country’s regional competitiveness and export potential.
This page was last updated on February 9, 2017
China
American potatoes in China: One Chinese company in Shandong province is looking to
import a batch of American seed potatoes next month (March), which would prove to be the first successful import of American seed tubers in many years.
Archaeologists discover ancient crop seeds in 2,000 year old tomb. The unidentified seeds, numbering 100, shaped like a half-moon and gathered in a
round shape with an 8-centimeter diameter, were found in a woman's tomb in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Barley, millets and Job's tears are among the main ingredients believed to have been used to brew beer in China 5,000 years ago. University students in California experimented with an "
ancient recipe" for such alcoholic beverage by boiling germinated barley seeds...
China slashes 2017 import tariffs for more than 8,500 commodities
The State Council Duty Committee (SCDC) has released the 2017 Tariff Adjustment Plan, which includes 17 new tentative tariff rates, which are lower than Most-Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rates as stipulated by WTO obligations, affecting 8,547 commodities. Among the agricultural commodities benefiting are various types of gourmet nuts, seafood, pet food, soy sauce, flax, avacados, cranberries, cocoa beans, formula milk powder, gelatin, reconstituted tobacco and numerous types of animal hides, flax and cotton-based weaves and textiles. USDA has summarized the plan in English here, with the original Chinese language announcement here.
China to maintain apple supply dominance through to 2026
According to a market research report, global production of apple concentrates is expected to see a CAGR of 5.6% over the coming decade, reaching 3 million tonnes by 2026. Of this, 90%+ of the revenue is expected to continue to derive from juice concentrate sub-segment including juices, vinegar and ciders, while the remainder will derive from solid apple concentrates. The Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan, is expected to see 10.8% CAGR in terms of value, with China expected to maintain its 75% share of global production capacity.
Chinese Taipei
Farmers in 16 areas across Chinese Taipei have been urged to take precautions to protect their crops from damages that may result from the effects of cold weather. Citing
a cold spell that began on February 10, day-night temperature fluctuations of between 10-20 degrees Celsius pose particular risks for farmers in Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Yilan, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi County, Chiayi City, Lienjiang County and Kinmen County.
Taiwanese tea seed oil factory showcases pressing process for tourists
Tea seed oil, which is extracted by pressing tea seeds, is becoming a popular ingredient to use in Taiwanese gourmet cuisine due to its high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. The extraction process is demonstrated to keen tourists at a tea oil model factory in New Taipei, which was established as part of the Pingling Tea Cultural Museum by the Pinglin District Farmers’ Association.
This page last updated on February 17.
Myanmar
Myanmar deposits seed samples of more than 200 threatened orchid species into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the Arctic Ocean. The
deposit was confirmed by Myanmar Minister for the Environment, Ohn Winn, with the endorsement of Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja, who had visited Myanmar back in December, 2014. In related news, 12 countries, including India and Pakistan, contributed
50,000 new seeds to the vault.
Quality seeds, technology help Myanmar soybean farmers adapt to Climate Change
Since 2008, increasingly erratic and unpredictable weather has caused significant loss for many soy bean farmers in Myanmar’s Shan State. Rain has either been delayed, resulting in withered crops, or early, with unseasonable downpours flooding crops before farmers can harvest. But thanks to one USAID-funded project, some 8,000 farmers in seven southern Shan State townships have been imparted with solutions, including seed drying technology and seed varieties with shorter grow cycles. It is estimated that soy bean is currently cultivated on more than 20,000 hectares across the country.
This page last updated on February 27.
Laos
Laos to boost 'clean rice' production, exports
According to the Nation, the Lao government has selected the provinces of
Savannakhet and Khammuan to be priority areas among 10 provinces for increasing "clean rice" yeields for export. Clean rice reportedly uses less chemical fertililzer than conventional rice so as to meet standards of buyers in the European Union and China. China recently agreed to increase its imports of Lao organic rice, which by definition uses no synthetic chemical fertilizers, up to
20,000 tonnes per year.
Northern Lao province halts chemical-heavy banana operations
Provincial authorities have suspended operations of 18 banana plantations in the northern province of Bokeo. The authorities cited environmental degradation and public health risks posed by the unregulated use of numerous chemical agro-inputs at the plantations, which are said to be funded by Chinese investors and mostly located in the districts of Tonpheung and Huayxai, where Cavendish varieties of the fruit had been cultivated. Since the popular market variety is not native to the area, a large number of pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides and fertilizers were reportedly needed to ward off high occurrence of disease and pest infestation.
This page updated February 6, 2017
Malaysia
Malaysia’s coconut imports, prices surge ahead of Hindu festival
The price of a coconut in Petaling Jaya has risen to as much as RM1.30 ($0.29) up from usual prices of about 70 sen ($0.16) in the face of strong demand for the fruit ahead of Thaipusam, the most-celebrated Hindu festival in Malaysia, where nearly 2 million Hindus reside. Malaysia, which sources most of its coconuts from Indonesia, imports about 1 million coconuts per month, the rate of which doubles during the festival period.
Thailand
Export rice prices dropped more than 3%, month-on-month: Citing the Thai Board of Trade, Nikkei is reporting that Thai rice e
xport prices have dropped to US$395 a ton, which represents as 3.4% decline from prices in the previous month. Rice acreage and global stockpiles are expected to increase this year.
Boosted December ag, industrial exports ensure 2016 a surplus year for Thailand
Revenue in December, 2016 from exported agricultural goods, including para rubber, sugar, animal feed, shrimp, along with fresh, frozen and processed produce, contributed to 5.5% year-on-year growth to nearly US$3 billion. Agriculture categories seeing the most growth for the final month of the year were rubber (36%), animal feed (14.4%), fresh and processed fruits and vegetables (12.8%), frozen and processed shrimp (8.9%) and sugar (6.2%). The strong month of trade for the kingdom was underlined by an additional $14bn from the export of various industrial products, contributing to a $938mn trade surplus for the year and more than $20bn for the year. Thailand’s main markets include the US, EU, China, Japan, as well as ASEAN and South Asia countries.
Indonesia
Hong Kong firm ramping up Indonesian oilseed operations
Hong Kong headquartered plantation and farm management firm Plantations International is bolstering production of Camelina Sativa seeds to support expansion of cultivation acreage in Indonesia through its
local subsidiary, PT Gaharu Kapita Indonesia. Camelina Sativa seeds, also known as “false flax” are utilized as oilseeds to produce Camelina oil, which is in growing demand, not only as a nutritional supplement, but as a viable source for biofuel production.
West Sumatran food security office to distribute chili seeds as anti-inflation measure
The Fishery and Food Security Office of Indonesia’s Agam Regency in West Sumatra is preparing to distribute chili seeds to residents who have become dependent on
inflated market prices, which have ranged from between IDR60,000 to 75,000 ($4.50-5.60) per kilogram.
Philippines
The Dept of Agriculture is distributing various types of cereal and vegetable seeds to tens of thousands of farmers in three provinces of the Bicol Region who were adversely affected by recent typhoons. It is estimated that 86,000 farmers in Albay, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes provinces were affected, justifying a P720 million (US$14.4 mn) rehabilitation package, which covers the
distribution of various types of certified seeds, including hybrid palay, assorted vegetables, mungbean, yellow and white corn, cacao, lemon, pili...
Philippines and Iran to increase bilateral agriculture trade
In order to meet anticipated growing demand in Iran for Filipino abaca, pineapples, bananas and natural rubber, the Dept of Agriculture in the Negros Island Region is
establishing a crop database to improve regional production tracking and efficiency of the commodities. The move follows Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Pinol’s issuing a directive to increase production in response to anticipated trade negotiations with Iran, who plans to offer more nuts, apples and synthetic rubber in exchange.
This page last updated February 9
New Zealand
Maize production for at least one farmer in Northland is reportedly the
worse in three decades, while feed supplies are also limited due to drought conditions.
A company in Tauranga, BerryCo, has invested in the rights to a jumbo-blueberry variety that
could be worth $8 million a year. The company plans to plnt the variety on 40 hectares, with the first 200,000 propogated plants to be distributed to licensed growers this year, starting in March.
New Zealand agriculture industry reps anticipate bumper horticulture output this year, even despite increasingly extreme weather events. Rabobank's recently-published agriculture outlook report for 2017 underlines an official
expectation for bumper crops of avocados, apples and kiwifruit linked to rising demand in Asian countries. Likewise the Motueka Fruit Growers Association chairman, Simon Easton, told local media that national production of pipfruit – apples and pears – is
tipped to reach an astonishing 21.5 million cartons this year (one carton contains between 40-60 fruits), which would be worth about NZ$800 million (US$583mn). However, that projection didn't necessarily account for weather-related crop damages incurred on the current apple harvest. Even though 2016 was
allegedly the "hottest year on record" underlined by a prolonged drought early in the year, the start of this year has been in stark contrast, with numerous unseasonable
wet and cold events causing agricultural woes during what is
supposed to be the height of the Southern Hemisphere country's summer season.
Kiwifruit not native to New Zealand but China. Goosberry seeds were reportedly first brought to the Southern Hemisphere country over from China around the early
20th century, and when a farmer planted...
Australia
WA Solanaceous ban: The States of New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria have issued restrictions on the import of tomatoes, capsicums, chillies and eggplants from West Australia after capsicum crop from that province was
discovered to have the tomato potato psyllid, a pest which had previously not been detected in Australia.
A suspected incident of
green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) from samples taken at a cucumber greenhouse in Bundaberg has raised questions about whether Australia's mandatory import seed testing requirement is adequate enough to
screen out contaminated seed. The contaminated produce is thought to derive from contaminated imported seeds, but testing has yet to confirm this.
Despite record rainfall and numerous cold summer incidents reported (see below), 'exceptionally hot and dry' weather is
still being cited as a concern for lower-than-expected cotton production this year, which is forecast to be a bumper crop season.
Wet & Cold winter weather at height of summer: It's the height of summer in the Southern Hemisphere but might as well be the winter with reports of
unusual snowfall in New South Wales and West Australia, and record cold February days reported in
Melbourne Perth and Victoria's alpine region, where the temperature dropped as low as
minus 2.2 degrees Celsius. In addition to record cold weather, rain records are also being broken, with the monthly average in West Australia already looking to
broach the 100mm mark at mid-month, compared to the previous monthly record of 80mm in 1970. Wet, arid and cold weather this summer down under is thought to be behind significant
crop losses for garlic growers in New South Wales, while floodwaters in West Australia are
posing "multtimillion-dollar" losses for vineyard managers, the Grape Growers Association of WA has told local media. Yet, seemingly immune to the weather damage has been the grain industry, which is boasting a 49% increase in
production for the 2016-2017 season.
Patented US ‘organic-friendly’ bioinsecticide set to launch in New Zealand, Australia
US natural pest management firm, Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. has inked a deal with Australian crop protection and specialist seed company, Nufarm Limited, to make available a patented bioinsecticide in New Zealand and Australian. Based in Davis, California, Nasdaq-listed Marrone Bio Innovations is the producer and patent holder of Grandevo, which utilizes a naturally-occurring chromobacterium to fight pests, including rootworm infestations, and is marketed as being applicable for a multitude of crops, including organic, with no posed toxicity to bees. Pending recieving regulatory approval, Laverton-headquartered, ASX-listed Nufarm hopes to launch the product in New Zealand by 2018, and in Australia by 2019. The two markets combined are anticipated to be worth upwards of $300 million annually.
In related news, due to a shortage of clover and manuka, which was reportedly damaged from a snowstorm, compounded further by dry conditions, honey production in Hawke's Bay has suffered, reportedly the
worst season in two decades.
Specialized seed coating machinery to help meet growing pasture seed demand
One Western Australia pasture seed producer is reporting “unprecedented demand” for pest and weather resilient pasture varieties this year, citing a thriving livestock – beef and wool – sector. In order to meet growth, Bells Pasture Seeds acquired a specialized seed coating machine that utilizes an “‘atomizing” mechanism to coat its ryegrass and other cereal seeds en mass with various types of pest and weather resistant treatments, including zinc and other incesticides.
Potato farmers are optimistic that the Australian
potato shortage will soon be over with the upcoming harvest expected to be plentiful. Crops were destroyed, and planting delayed as a result of harsh weather late last year.
West Australia's grain industry promotion agency is reporting record 'winter crop' harvest event
despite millions of tonnes of loss from frost damages. According to West Australia's GrainGrowers regional co-ordinator, the state's total farm production for this winter harvest* (the winter harvest actually takes place during the Southern hemisphere's summer) is expected to exceed 18 million tonnes, even despite frost crop losses estimated to be as much as 3 million tonnes.
Updated February 27, 2017
Vietnam
Bolstering Viet-EU trade by 2020: Now that the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) multilateral freed trade agreement (EFTA) has taken a back seat, Vietnam is looking to increase trade with the European Union through the EVFTA. According to projections from the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project in Hanoi, the FTA by 2020
will boost exports from Vietnam to the EU by 50%, while increasing Imports of EU products into Vietnam by 43%. EU-bound Vietnamese goods include food, shoes and clothes, while Vietnam-bound EU goods would include mostly vehicles, drugs and machinery.
Cashew re-export trade booms
The Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) is confident that the industry will increase the volume of exports in 2017 to 360,000 tonnes, up by 3.4% over 2016, which would be expected to generate US$3 billion, or a jump by 5.6%. Last year, it was reported that Vietnam – the world's largest cashew nut exporter – had imported about a million tonnes of cashews, mostly from African countries. About a third of
these premium nuts were then processed for re-export to over 90 countries, including the US (35%), EU and UK (25%) and China (18%). Vinacas anticipates the country to import about 1.1 milllion tonnes this year.
Updated February 21, 2017
South Korea
New GMO labeling exceptions relieve stakeholders, agitate consumers
Stakeholders in the trade of GM foods were relieved when the government of Korea, reportedly the world's largest importer of GM foods, had announced exceptions to a new regulation that will
require food companies to label GM ingredients. The exceptions cover
most cooking oils, soy sauce and corn syrup. Consumer groups argue that all GMO ingredients should be labelled as initially intended by the regulation, while stakeholders argue that labels are unnecessary. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, producers of foods derived from six types of non-GMO crops – corn, soybeans, sugar beets, rapeseed, alfalfa and cotton – will be permitted to use a "non-GMO" label.
According to the Korean government, last year the country imported more than 2.14 million tonnes of GMO food products, 99% of which were GM corn and soy crops, while
imported food products with GM ingredients accounted for 27,000 tonnes.
Transnational & Regional
Beijing-headquartered, Nasdaq-listed Chinese biotech firm, Origin Agritech, LLC, will work with California-based ag-biotech and seed supplier, Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. in
meeting US regulatory compliance requirements so as to import into the US GM-corn seeds developed in China which reportedly possess insect-resistance and herbacide tolerance traits.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands has expressed interest in exporting more root crops –
cassava, taro, yam, panna and kava – to New Zealand. Manasseh Sogavare, PM of the South Pacific nation, expressed his interest to New Zealand Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, on the basis that there is a large population of Pacific Islanders in New Zealand, which would serve as an ample market base.
Abundant eyes West Asia expansion: Abundant Produce Ltd., a Sydney-listed plant breeding firm who earns royalties from the sell of its IP-protected seed varieties has negotiated a contract with an unnamed international vegetable seed distributor in a deal which is expected to greatly expand the firm's reach and share in the
Middle East and Asia Minor markets. With its main offices in Sydney and Cobbitty, New South Wales, Abundant also has plant breeding and seed production facilities in Chile. The company's main seed stocks include cucumber, tomato, eggplant, pepper and red chilis.
[caption id="attachment_3619" align="alignleft" width="370"]
The Nepenthes Alata is a carnivorous plant native to the tropical forests of the Philippines, which like pitcher plants in Australia and the US, evolved to be able to turn pests into plant food. Photo: Gere72[/caption]
From pest to plant food; evolutionary genetics of Transpacific pitcher plants: Scientists in Japan, China and the US have pinpointed what they believe to be key, common genetic factors in the evolution of pest-devouring plants in three Pacific continents. A study on three independently-evolved carnivourous pitcher plants – conducted by researchers at the University National Institute for Basic Biology and Sokendai Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan; University of Buffalo's College of Arts and Scienses and the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the USA; and BGI-Shenzhen in China – identified common protein families that ultimately developed from stress self-defense assistants into digestive enzymes that
enabled the plants to convert pests into nutrient food sources. The three pitcher plants examined were Cephalotus follicularis (the Australian pitcher plant), Nepenthes alata (an Asian pitcher plant) and Sarracenia purpurea (an American pitcher plant).
South American caterpillar obliterating African crops, risk of spreading to Asia. The Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (Cabi) has warned that the "fall armyworm", which is native to South America, has been rapidly
spreading through tropical Africa – Zimbabwe, Malawi, Moazambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia – destroying maize crops it eats along the way. The pest has potential to spread to Asia and the FAO will be holding an emergency meeting on February 14-16 to discuss emergency response and mitigation strategies,
Australian winter cereal grazing technique yields promising results at UK farm
One technique popular among Australian and American farmers for reducing weeds and lodging of winter cereals is to allow livestock, especially sheep, to graze on the crops for a certain period of time. Using sheep, this technique was trialed at an organic wheat farm in the UK, and positive results were observed, with no negative affects on the ending harvest of wheat, though some important practices should be kept in mind.
India, Thailand, Vietnam rice prices get new year’s bump
Quotes for 5-percent broken rice in India, Thailand and Vietnam all were bumped up a bit at the start of the New Year. The increase in price of said rice from India, which rose from $341-345 up to $346-350, was cited as a result of increased demand from Africa; while that in Thailand, which rose from $355-360 to $360-$365, was
linked to increased demand from Iraq and Singapore. Reasons were not given for Vietnam’s rice price increase, from $335 to $345-$350, but reduced Vietnamese production last year is likely a factor. In related news the Philippines recently
brought about 50,000 tons of rice from Thailand (42,464t) and Vietnam (11,580t), in a move to replenish its stocks, which suffered from a series of typhoons in late 2016. The country is expected to import more rice from Thailand, Vietnam, India and Pakistan this year.
This page last updated on February 17, 2017
Cambodia
Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture this year is aiming to open six Sanitation and Phytosanitation (SPS) offices in key border market trade areas. The offices, located in Stung Treng, Preah Sihanouk, Svay Rieng, Tbong Khmum, Battambang and Manteay Meachey provinces, will focus on inspections of imported produce from neighboring countries, ensuring
compliance with established phytosanitary measures, but would not necesarily overlap with the function of the country's Camcontrol, which focuses on fake, expired and other illegal contraband.
This page last updated on February 15, 2017
Japan
Plasma Protein Plant Penetration: Researchers at the Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan have developed a technique for introducing proteins into plant cells using non-thermal atmospheric pressure
plasma from nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide. The researchers exposed groups of leaves and roots of tobacco, rice and Arabidopsis plants to the plasmas, before immersing the material into a green fluorescent protein...
This page last updated on February 17, 2017
