APSA's 6th Expert Consultation for Phytosanitary Collaboration in the Asia-Pacific 28 August 2020

The meeting was attended by 69 representative represent around the world

 

 

APSA yesterday (August 26) held its sixth Expert Consultation on Phytosanitary Collaboration in the Asia Pacific. Due to ongoing travel restrictions, this year’s meeting was held online, with a total of 69 participants from around the region and world joining the virtual conference. These include 29 representatives from National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) in 13 countries, in addition to 13 representatives from seed associations, members of APSA, as well as representatives from key seed industry stakeholders, including the International Seed Federation, the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CropLife Asia and several government and industry observers. 

The agenda of the meeting, which was organized by APSA’s’s Standing Committee for International Trade and Quarantine (SC ITQ) covered a number of important and timely seed industry priorities. These include country and region-wide updates on the trialling and implementation of the International Plant Protection Convention’s electronic phytosanitary certificate exchange system (ePhyto), seed health testing laboratory accreditation practices in the US and the Philippines, the Systems Approach concept, an update for the annexing of ISPM 38 on the international movement of seed, the development of regional guidelines and standards for phytosanitary measures (RSPM) specific to Chilli seeds for sowing, and ongoing capacity-building initiatives, including an update on a proposed Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) project in the region. 

Meeting minutes with full details, as well as presentations will be available to all meeting participants and members of APSA’s SC ITQ. Moreover, a summary of the meeting will be featured in Asian Seed Magazine, Q3 issue, to be published and distributed to all APSA members in September.