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Greetings from the APSA Secretariat
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As we'e got a lot to cover and information to relay this month, you may find it more convenient to download and listen to the podcast instead..
Seed Industry News Round-up
Welcome to the APSA July 2020 newsletter. We hope all of you are staying safe and well during this time. We have some important updates on the key important topics concluded during the APSA Executive Committee meetings on 21 and 22 July.
The APSA EC has made a decision to discount membership fees for 2020 from US$900 to US$600. This is to support members during the ongoing pandemic. This new scheme will help APSA operations run smoothly as we hope we can keep our members engaged in our new programs in these coming years. For more information on the new discounted rate and how to apply this rate towards your membership renewal this year, please see this flowchart.
Beside the new discounted rate, this year the APSA EC has decided to conduct our Annual General Meeting through a teleconference, which is permitted by Singapore law. The AGM will thus be held on 26 November starting 1pm ICT time. We will announce the agenda by September. This year we have one vacant seat on EC and we are calling out for the candidate nomination. We do still need members to help strengthen APSA and the Asian seed sector so if you are interested in volunteering your time to fill this important role, please do not hesitate to get get in touch with APSA Executive Director.
Next, COVID19 has already shown positive and negative impacts on many aspects of the seed supply chain. APSA together with World Vegetable Center had run a survey engaging APSA members in April and May to monitor the impacts on their operations. We have received really good responses from members and we’d like to thank those who have responded. The initial report published from these first two rounds has attracted interest from our stakeholders and the information can be really useful for the public sector in devising business-friendly policies moving forward.
Therefore, we have now extended collaboration with the OECD seed scheme and ISF to work on a project to report the impacts of the pandemic on the vegetable seed sector in Asia. Hence a third round of the survey will be sent out to APSA members by next week. So, stand by and please help to be part of this important mission for the region by responding to the survey.
Finally, we are really excited to share with you that APSA’s new website and membership directory will be launched in the near future. Stand by, and in the meantime, please take care and stay safe during this time. We do really hope that we can meet face to face again soon. Thank you very much.
In our Special Interest Group on Field Crops or SIG Field Crops, we are pleased to announce the formation of a new group with 10 integrated field crops companies. The first meeting will be held in the first week of August. We will keep you updated for this group’s activity.
The Standing Committee on International Trade & Quarantine had an online meeting on July 23 to finalize the agenda for the 6th Phytosanitary Expert Consultation and update confirmed participants which include national plant protection officers from 7 countries in the Asia&Pacific, representatives from seed associations and APSA stakeholders. We trust that there will be more participants joining before the online meeting date on August 26.
Besides, we are pleased to share with everyone the Executive Summary on a review of Plant Variety Protection laws in the Asia-Pacific region, which was prepared by APSA Standing Committee of Intellectual Property Rights and Biodiversity which initiated the review in June in order to understand the current status and how well these laws are being implemented. The Executive Summary is open to the public and you can download here
Last but not least, we have an update from the APSA World Vegetable Center Vegetable Breeding Consortium: Two inception workshops were held by WorldVeg in the third week of July for consortium members to start their multilateral projects. This is part of several benefits for consortium members that Consortium Companies are eligible to develop and participate in bilateral and/or multilateral collaborative projects with WorldVeg. Opportunities to participate in selected collaborative projects will be promoted by APSA to all its members from time-to-time.
As previously mentioned, this year’s 26th Annual General Meeting will be held on November 26. This is the first time ever the AGM will be held on-line with e-balloting for the election. Details will be sent to all our members accordingly. So please don’t forget to check your email and stay tuned for more information.
On August 26, the 6th Phytosanitary Expert Consultation will be held. This closed meeting will be held virtually on-line and will be attended by various NPPOs from across the Asia Pacific Region..
This month we will be conducting another round of our survey for COVID-19 impacts on the seed industry. A full summary report will be prepared and made available on our website.
Speaking of the website, we are pleased to inform everyone that we are giving a much needed upgrade to the website and membership database. The official launch of the New APSA Website and Membership Database System is set for Monday, the 17th of August. It will be much more user friendly and easy to use. So don’t forget to check it out.
As for some other holidays and observances that we will celebrate in the month of August, look forward to:
Singapore National Day – August 9
International Youth Day – August 12
Pakistan Independence Day – August 14
India Independence Day – August 15
Harl Kemerdekaan (Indonesia) – August 17
Mari Merdeka (Malaysia) – August 31
United Nations Chief urges secure food systems in face of hunger crisis
The United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that as much as 820 million people would go hungry, including 144 million children….
ISF urges governments to continue to facilitate international seed movements
The Secretary-General of the International Seed Federation, Michael Keller on 6 July, released a new statement asking governments “to continue facilitating the international movement of seed and not to impose restrictive measures.” The letter cites the position of ….
ISF, CSA & CNSTA: ‘3rd Round Table Meeting on Plant Breeding Innovation’ online
The International Seed Federation(ISF) joined with the China Seed Association(CSA) and the China National Seed Trade Association(CNSTA) to organize the online session on June 23 ….
FAO names new assistant to DG & regional rep for Asia and the Pacific
South Korean national Mr Jong-Jin Kim has been named the Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. Effective since 1st July 2020, Mr. Jong-Jin succeeds ….
FAO issues Asia-Pacific policy recommendations to cope with Covid-19 impacts on food
To address serious threats of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security in Asia and the Pacific, the FAO on June 5 published a report highlighting food supply chain trends in 11 countries. These include Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. The report includes ….
2020 World Food Laureate is an Indian American Soil Scientist
Congratulations to Dr. Rattan Lal, a native of India and citizen of the United States, who has been awarded the 2020 #WorldFoodPrize. Dr. Lal, a soil scientist and distinguished professor at Ohio State University, is recognized for ….
East-West Seed names two new members to its Supervisory Board.
Mary Sue Rogers and Maaike Groot have been appointed as the newest members of East-West Seed’s Supervisory Board. The news, whicch was announced by the leading vegetable seed firm on 1 July, follows Simon Groot, Dietrich Schmidt and Johnny Santos formally retiring from the Supervisory Board ….
ISTA revises procedures for Orange & Blue certificates & other updates
The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) recently revised the procedure for ‘How to complete ISTA certificates’, specifically on how to complete the ISTA Orange International Seed Lot Certificate (OIC) and ISTA Blue International Seed Sample Certificate (BIC)….
UPOV update on PLUTO plant variety database
UPOV on July 3 held a webinar to provide updates on its PLUTO Plant Variety database, which will be introduced from November 2020. The online session also was an opportunity to provide users to provide feedback on ….
Meet new Chair of ASTA
John Latham, the President of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds in Iowa, USA, has commenced his tenure as the Chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), taking over from Wayne Gale of Stokes Seeds. John has a long history of service with ASTA, having previously ….
Grow Asia webinar on eCommerce & social media opportunities
During its second Grow Asia Digital Learning Series session in 2020, a GrowAsia webinar on June 30 explored opportunities in using chat and social media platforms to reach farmers. The session featured findings from a study GrowAsia conducted with support from ….
Argentina adds new requirements to regulated pest list for chili and tomato seeds
From June 16, 2020, Argentina added new requirements to its list of regulated pests for Capsicum annuum and Solanum lycopersicum originating in countries in which the pest is present. The notified text provides for the inclusion of the pests ….
CRISPRcon returns virtually September and October
CRISPRcon, “a unique forum bringing diverse voices together to discuss the future of CRISPR and related gene editing technologies across applications in agriculture, health, conservation” will be conducted virtually this year “with a series of ….
Locusts swarms devour swathes of Asian farmland
Locust infestations continue to spread across Asia. As reported widely thus far in 2020, desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) have eaten their way through crops in India, Pakistan, Iran and Saudia Arabia, with Nepal being the latest South Asian country to report detection… Meanwhile a different crop-hungry locust species is feeding on farms in China, Laos and Vietnam ….
Floodwaters engulf crops, homes and livelihoods across region
Bad weather has caused extreme hardship for farmers in East and South Asia in June and July. By July 19, in India’s Assam and neighboring Nepal, nearly four million people had been displaced by heavy flooding with a death toll of at least 189, according to this report, noting that the Brahmaputra River, which flows through China’s Tibet, India and Bangladesh, has flooded crops and ….
Origin of seed packets a mystery
China authorities are looking into allegations that mysterious seed packets, reportedly sent to random addresses in the US, originated in China. According to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin, “Plant seeds are articles prohibited as imports (or in transit) or admitted conditionally for UPU member countries. China Post strictly follows ….
Read all these stories from throughout the Asia-Pacific and more
Northern Territory to release 100,000+ hectares of land for farming
The Northern Territory Land Corporation plans to release three large parcels of land onto the market. The largest of three parcels, dubbed the “Keep Plains Agricultural Development, spans 67,500ha near the Western Australia border. It adjoins WA’s Ord River ….
Tasmania research to look at hemp for sheep grazing, seed yield correlations
The Tasmanian Hemp Association (THA), with Agrifutures, an Australian Government backed organisation that promotes Australian rural industries, will study the potential of hemp as sheep fodder and whether grazing can affect seed yields. The research, revealed ….
Australia exports first hemp seed shipment to NZ
Hemp Industry Daily reports that Australia has completed its first (legal) export consignment of hemp seeds. Though the quantity and value was not disclosed, the report notes that it is the first ….
Gravity seed table cleaning diminishes weed seeds: study
A study by the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI), titled “Lessons learnt: crop-seed cleaning reduces weed-seed contamination in Western Australian grain samples” reveals that commercial gravity table seed cleaning can remove nearly all weed seed from crop seed ….
Mixed bag of winter weather for southern Australia crops
The North Queensland Register reports on the fickle Australian climate this winter season. While parts of coastal NSW and Queensland have suffered from flooding and excess rain that drenched central and southern coastal regions recently, conditions have been dry in ….
Read all these stories and more from Australia
Rice exports in first half of 2020 surge
Cambodia exported more than 390,000 tons of rice in the first half of 2020, which is 41% more than the same period last year, when the country exported 281 538 tons ….
Reforestation of Angkor
Central to reforestation efforts around the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor Wat is an 8-hectare nursery in Siem Reap Province, which is run by the APSARA National Authority (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap) ….
Vegetable seeds for farmers in Samrong
Officials from the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in collaboration with the CHAIN (Cambodia Horticulture Advancing Income and Nutrition) project of the not-for-profit international development organisation, SNV, delivered seeds and fertilizers to ….
Bolstering aromatic rice exports
Eight farming communities in Battambang province on July 10 signed an agreement to produce and supply aromatic rice to AMRURice Group for export. Battambang province is favorable for aromatic rice ….
Rice blockchain tracking platform scales up to 500 farmer households
Amru Rice, which is reportedly one of Cambodia’s leading rice exporters, launched its BlocRice blockchain project in April 2018 initially with 50 farmer households, and has rapidly scaled up the platform to now cover 500 households across two communities ….
Read all these stories and more from Cambodia
Early rice planting in Zhejiang up by 8%
A total of 17 new early rice varieties were recently exhibited during an exhibition in Shangyu and Yuyao of Zhejiang Province. The varieties were independently selected and bred by scientific research and breeding units or seed companies in the province. …
Undeclared cabbage seeds intercepted by Dalian Customs
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport Customs have seized 15 bags of undeclared cabbage seeds that were detected in the luggage of incoming passengers who had travelled from Japan. The weight of the seeds was 19.8 kilograms. The seeds were detected during routine inspection ….
Haidian Enforcement Inspections
Beijing’s Haidian District Agricultural Law Enforcement Brigade on July 22 conducted a comprehensive inspection of seed enterprises and institutions as well as other agricultural facilities ….
Wild plant seed bank in Kunming
China’s Southwest Wildlife Germplasm Bank of China in Heilongtan, Kunming recently processed a batch of newly collected plant seeds, adding 27 new species to its seed bank. At present, 82,746 seeds of various wild plants have been collected and stored at the bank ….
Gansu seed exports up 44% in first half of 2020
Lanzhou Customs reports Chinese media, that Gansu Province in the first six months of the year exported 1,233 tons of seeds, worth 20.3 million US dollars, representing year-on-year increases of 44% and 43.7%, respectively ….
Yasheng Group to invest in new seed company subsidiary
Yasheng Group has announced plans to invest 120 million yuan (US$17.1 million) to establish Gansu Yasheng Seed Industry Co., Ltd. as its new subsidiary. According to Sina Finance, the new company’s business scope will include the production and processing of …..
Ningxia Seed Industry Expo boosts rural revitalization’
On July 27, Chinese media attended and photographed the 7th Ningxia Seed Industry Expo, which was held at the Taijin Seed Industry Park, a seed town in Pingluo County, Shizuishan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. This year’s Seed Industry Expo featured …..
Read all these stories and more from China
Praise for kharif crop boosted MSP
Looking at reasoning behind revised minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops for 2020-21 fiscal year, which were boosted in June for various crops, including ….
Mixed monsoon weather raises cropping concern
Despite bountiful rains in June, the southwest monsoon had weakened in July according to India Meteorological Department data cited in a report, which notes that about a third of the 685 districts ….
Two new weather apps released
Two smartphone apps were launched in late July by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences launched to provide updates on current weather, forecasts, warnings and Radar images. Both apps are available ….
ICAR celebrates 92nd anniversary
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) celebrated its 92nd foundation day on July 16. To honor the occasion, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare expressed appreciation for ….
Mustard seed prices surge by 26% in Rajasthan
The Business Standard reports on the trend of rising mustard seed prices, which rose by 26% in four months. The spike is due to short supplies and rising “household demand for mustard oil as an immunity booster” According to the report, rape/mustard seed in ….
Pulse sowing on the up in Tamil Nadu
This season, the total area to be sown with pulses in the Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu will likely increase to more than 12,500 hectares, up from about 10,000 previously ….
Indian flower market in ‘deep crisis’
Marigold cultivation has declined by as much as 70%, while demand for roses, chrysanthemums, gerbera, and lilies is also suffering as the floriculture industry dips deep into crisis ….
FSII director on ‘Made In India’ potential
A recent editorial by the director-general of the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) Ram Kaundinya makes a strong case for India becoming a major international seed hub ….
India could be among top five of agro commodity exporters
Making the case that India could be among the top five exporters in the world of agro commodities. A report, citing the World Trade Centre, says that India was the eighth top exporter of agro commodities in 2019 ….
HBBT contamination claims
Reports on alleged illegal practices regarding Herbicide Tolerant (HT) Bt cotton, which is a third-generation transgenic variety of cotton developed by …..
MoU for organic cotton seeds
The Organic and Fair Trade Cotton Secretariat (OFTC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 11 public and private partners committing to making organic cotton seed …..
Read all these stories and more from India
Unemployed Bali workers returning home to farmers
In the wake of coronavirus-induced economic turmoil, thousands of unemployed workers have returned to the village for sustenance farming ….
IPM and EWS to aid in garlic self-sufficiency push
The Office of Communication and Information of the Province of East Java has published an article highlighting the implementation of Early Warning Systems (EWS) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in order to mitigate crop loss risks and thus …..
‘Food Crop’ Tissue Culture lab inaugurated in Pekalongan
A new Tissue Culture Laboratory in the Central Javan city of Pekalongan was inaugurated by the local government on July 22. The laboratory will be managed by the Department of Agriculture and Food of Pekalongan City and will support ….
Quality Management System Certification for ‘Superior Seeds’
The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging the utilization of “superior seeds” through seed certification, and quality management systems. As conveyed during a recent webinar to address economic issues during the ongoing pandemic, an official from the Directorate of Horticultural Germination said that …..
Moringa leaf production encouraged in Sidoarjo
A politician is encouraging the development of Moringa plant cultivation in parts of Sidoarjo, East Java, citing the strong demand abroad and thus export potential ….
R&D yields promising onion, shallot varieties for commercialization
As part of efforts to stabilize supply and prices of onions and shallots, IPB University has conducted promising research which has been deemed a national priority. The research is a continuation of previous research conducted by the Center for Tropical Horticulture Studies (PKHT) Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) IPB University, which is looking at ….
Onion and shallot cultivation in West Lampung
A number of farmer groups — including women and youth groups — across West Lampung, Sumatra will see through programs to boost onion and shallot cultivation. According to a horticulture official cited ….
Farmers in East Luwu Regency short on ‘superior seeds’ for rice sowing target
A horticulture official at the East Luwu Agriculture Office says there is a strong need for superior rice seeds in East Luwu. According to this Indonesian article, in order to meet targets to sow 21 thousand hectares of paddy ….
West Sumatra Gov hopes to increase rice productivity to 9 tons/ha
The West Sumatra Governor has urged stakeholders to cooperate in order to increase rice yields from to 8-9 tons per hectare, up from current average yields of 5-6 tons per hectare. The governor ….
New high-yielding, disease-resistant upland rice variety released
The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) through the Agricultural Research and Development Agency (Balitbangtan) has released a new high-yielding “superior rice variety”: Biobestari Agritan is upland rice which has an average productivity of …..
Banyuasin strives to be number one in rice through quality seeds, inputs
The Regent of Banyuasin H Askolani SH MH is determined for his regency to become “the number one region as a national rice producer.”. According to this article, the Banyuasin Regency is currently the 4th largest rice-producing region, and the Banyuasin Regency Government will optimize ….
Vegetables to improve food security in Pariaman
Efforts in Pariman city in in West Sumatra to improve local food security through the planting of various vegetables in a community demonstration plot, including spinach, kale, eggplants, string beans, cayenne pepper and some fruits …
Harvest of Seed Potato demo in West Sumatra
The West Sumatra Agricultural Technology Study Board (BPTP) completed its first harvest of seed potato, together with the Head of the Seed Supervision and Certification Center (BPSB) on an area of 0.8 hectares in ….
Soybean production on the up in Maros
Attending a soybean harvest activity on 92 hectares in the Leang-Leang Village, Bantimurung District, Maros Regency on an area of 92 ha on July 14 was …. In related news, on July 16, the Director General of Food Crops of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture said that is necessary to develop superior soybean varieties that exceed …
Read all these stories and more from Indonesia
Optimistic for seeds, seedling business recovery
There is some optimism for a recovery of the seeds and seedlings business. A report notes that although there have been concerns about the impacts of Covid-19 situation on domestic farming and international trade, the seed and seedling business in Japan is expected ….
Seed regulations enacted in 21 prefectures
A report by “Japan Seed Protecting Society,” reveals that seed regulations were enacted in Hokkaido, Miyagi, Yamagata, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Niigata, Nagano, Toyama, Ishikawa. , Fukui, Aichi, Mie, Gifu, Hyogo, Tottori, Hiroshima, Miyazaki, Kumamoto and Kagoshima ….
Tropical ‘ghost orchid’ found growing in temperate hills of west Tokyo
The ghost orchid (Epipogium roseum) known in Japanese as Tashiroran, and which can only be seen during the rainy season, is classified as a semi- endangered species by the Ministry of the Environment. ….
Osaka research: agrobacterial mutagenesis could accelerate gene-editing
Researchers from Osaka University “infected potato with Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring TALEN-expression vector targeting sterol side chain reductase 2 (SSR2) gene and regenerated shoots without selection. They obtained regenerated lines with …..
Read all these stories and more from Japan
Seed library, seed display and IoT hydroponic at Yangcheon park
The Yangcheon Urban Agricultural Park, operated by the Yangcheon district in Cheoul, has installed a seed display box and is establishing a seed library. The seed display box was installed in the internal education center to allow visitors to see 200 seeds that were donated from the Rural Development Administration and the Seoul Agricultural Technology Center ….
Baekdudaegan Native Seed Exhibition
The Baekdu-daegan Native Seeds Exhibition was held at the Gangwon-do Forest Museum from July 10 to 26, organized by the Gangwon-do Forest Research Institute….
Korea’s Gangwon seed potato, technology secured for Central Asia
Kangwon Provincial Agricultural Technology Institute (CEO Choi Jong-tae) signed a win-win cooperation agreement with Hongik Bio Co., Ltd. (representative Seo Sang-gi) to advance to Central Asia on June 30 ….
School students plant ‘native seeds’ in North Jeolla
Gochang Seongnae Elementary School in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do was selected as a resident proposal project for the 2020 school year for a project to plant ‘Korean native seeds’ around school gardens and fences to promote Korean biodiversity and ….
Nonghyup Bank and Korean Women Farmers unite in seed harvest
Employees of the Nonghyup Bank, Ulleung County Branch joined members of the Korean Women’s Farmers Federation of Ulleung Federation recently took part in garlic seed harvesting activity in the Nari Village, Buk-myeon ….
Citbank CSR promotes reforestation
Citibank Korea recently celebrated its 15 years anniversary and conducted a CSR activity that rallied community members, employees ….
Summer quality warnings for watermelon growers.
The Jeonbuk Agricultural Research Institute has warned farmers growing watermelon to take special care and attention to their crops citing potential quality issues linked to the rainy season and summer heat wave. According to the National Institute of Agriculture ….
Migrant farm workers in shortage, high demand
A feature story carried by the LA Times highlights the interesting story of Thai migrant workers toiling in a tobacco field for an 11-hour summer day of work …
Read all these stories and more from Korea
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is cooperating with different sectors and entrepreneurs to improve the quality of agricultural products in order to increase exports to the People’s Republic of China. According to a XInhua report, citing the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in 2019 the landlocked country earned US$560 million through the export of agricultural products, 80 % of which went to China. More details and figures here.
Read all these stories and more from Myanmar
Wheat target short, bumper crop for potato and chickpea as cropping targets set
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) was informed in a meeting on July 8 that wheat procurement during the current crop season fulfilled about 80% the target set for domestic and strategic requirements, which meant there will be a shortfall of about ….
Cotton sowing short by 1.3 per cent
Urdu Reports that cotton crop sowing in Pakistan during the current season (2020-21) has decreased by 1.3 percent compared to last year ….
Tackling locust infestation from multiple angles
Pakistan technicians have developed drones that will be used to spray insecticides and pesticides on locust-infested fields …
Pests threaten cotton crop in Punjab
Various types of pests have been causing havoc for a large area of cotton crops in Pakistan. Namely, infestations by the white fly, jassid and mealybug in Seet Pur, Khan Garh, Sultan Pur in Multan, Punjab, have prompted the agriculture department to begin …..
FAO, USAID distribute maize, sunflower seeds and beans for Covid relief
Dawn reports on an initiative led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to distribute Kharif crop packages to 16,000 vulnerable households ….
Boosting tea production through better genetics, China cooperation
In a drive to reduce dependence on imports, the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) will work on enhancing domestic tea cultivation. According to The News Pakistan, efforts include improving genetics in available tea germplasm and “standardization of nutritional requirements of tea and other high value crops” …..
Read all these stories and more from Pakistan
THASTA President warns of fall armyworm increased threat this year
Dr. Chairerg Sagwansupyakorn, the President of the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA) has warned for agriculturalists and concerned government officers to consider the potential loss ….
Drought affects rice output
According to a July 23 article, citing figures from theThai Rice Exporters Association, Thailand is projected to only export 6.5 million tonnes of rice by the end of the year, compared to …..
Royal seeds presented to model farmer
On July 16 in Sukhothai province, a ceremony was held to present disease-resistant, climate-resilient seeds on behalf of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The seeds were …..
Read all these stories and more from Thailand
The Philippines remains food-secure: Ag Secretary
The Philippines continues to be food-secure, according to figures and assurances given by Agriculture Secretary William Dar on July 30 here …
Seeds distributed by NGO could yield 7 million kilos of veggies
To address a looming hunger crisis, NGO International Care Ministries has distributed some 14 million meals to 2.5 million Filipinos, as well as 250,000 gardening kits and over 100 million seeds to communities in ….
Seed Kits from WorldVeg arrive in Philippines
The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao has delivered seeds, ag and farm inputs as part of poverty-reduction and the “fight against local insurgency”. In one article published on July 9, the DA in Northern Mindanao presented farm inputs assistance to ….
Rice Resilience through seed, fertilizer aid
Efforts by the Department of Agriculture (DA) look to boost rice production in Western Visayas by 10 percent from ilast year. Under the Rice Resiliency Project (RRP) and under the umbrella of the “Plant Plant Plant” campaign, the DA has allocated PHP1.06 billion ($21.5 million)….
Food processing facility to turn food waste into value
Establishment of a new food processing facility in the La Trinidad municipality of Benguet province will offer a viable alternative to farmers dumping crops they could not sell at market. The facility, which was approved ….
Syngenta launches TIWALA app to help Filipino farmers overcome hurdles
As reported by the Manila Bulletin here, Syngenta launched the TIWALA mobile application on June 5, 2020. The app serves as a digital platform that integrates ….
Read all these stories and more from the Philippines
‘Safe vegetable’ cultivation to be expanded in Hanoi
Over the next five years the Vietnamese government will support expansion of “safe vegetable” cultivation in the capital. According to the Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection ….
Trials of ‘purple coal’ rice variety underway
Members of the Hieu Thuan Organic Village Agricultural Cooperative (Hieu Thuan commune, Vung Liem district, Vinh Long province) are trialling a new “purple charcoal” rice variety ….
Company banks on successful horticulture seedling supply model
Nongnghiep Vietnam reports on the effective contracting and supply model of one horticulture company in the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak and Dak Nong. The firm, which was praised by the Dept of Agriculture ….
Leaf Mosaic Virus compounds crop woes in Ha Tinh
Leaf mosaic virus has ravaged no less than 200 hectares of cassava crop in the upper part of the rural Kỳ Anh district of Hà Tĩnh Province of the North Central Coast region of Vietnam ….
‘Biotechnology model’ for safe, efficient rice cultivation trialled in Thanh Binh
To meet demand for quality rice seeds ahead of the Summer-Autumn crop of 2020, the An Phong experimental seed production farm in Thanh Binh District of Dong Thap is trialing and demoing a number of special varieties on several hectares ….
Promising results from LY2099 hybrid rice in Lang Son and Cao Bang
Promising data on cultivation of the LY2099 variety of hybrid rice in the provinces of Lang Son and Cao Bang. In the former farmers had reported yields of ….
Mekong delta rice sowing expanded with favorable conditions forecast
Locales in the Mekong Delta area of Vietnam are increasing the area of autumn-winter rice sowing as weather and water resources are forecast to be favorable. As the rainy season has begun, the risks of saline intrusion in coastal estuaries has reportedly decreased and ….
New soybean variety gets approval for Central Highlands, Central region
Vinasoy’s 02-NS soybean variety selected by Vietnam Soybean Milk Factory (Vinasoy) has been officially approved for circulation by the Department of Crop Production – MARD. ….
Read all these stories and more from Vietnam
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