Quality Seed | Quality Life
May 2021 Newsletter
Usually, May is a month that APSA opens registration for the Asian Seed Congress.
We regreft to announce that APSA and the China Seed Association have decided to cancel the 2021 Asian Seed Congress, which was scheduled to be held in Shenzhen in December 2021, after being postponed from last year due to similar reasons.
It is with regret to relay this decision, which was mutually reached by our two associations due to persisting uncertainties about the Covid-19 situation.
During recent meetings, we agreed that a cautious approach is necessary due to stringent public health measures, advisories and policies persisting in many countries throughout the region, where mobility and the capacity to organize large, physical gatherings are anticipated to be limited for the foreseeable future.
Though we are optimistic about the situation improving, the health and safety of our members are our highest priority. We have shared this update to members directly and we are very thankful to our members for their support and understanding in this difficult time for all of us.
For your reference, you can download the announcement from our president in the link shared in the newsletter.
Nevertheless, please also be informed that APSA has decided to conduct this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Technical Sessions virtually. Please stay tuned for more details.
Next, the APSA Executive Committee and Secretariat would like to relay our sincere and heartfelt Condolences to the families and loved ones of several revered seedsmen who have passed away.
We just learned about the passing only days ago of Janakbhai Peshrana of Seeds India which followed sad news on 22 May, when Professor Yuan Longping, the Father of Hybrid Rice passed away in southern China. This follows the passing on May 8 Mr. Kollipara Niranjan Kumar, which followed the passing on 29 April of another revered and active APSA member, Mr. Buta Singh Kanwal. We trust and hope they are all in a better place now. We are indebted to their contributions to the Asia and Pacific seed industries. Please read more about their lives and contributions through the links in our Seed Industry news updates.
Finally we would like to remind everyone that the international year of plant health of 2020 was extended until July 1st; for this, APSA would like to promote and shine the light on the great work from plant pathologists, field inspectors and growers whose job is to keep plants healthy. For this, we’ve launched a recognition program this year to acknowledge the most influential breeding researcher. This award will help to recognize the impact of breeders on the seed industry as well as farmers in the Asia and Pacific region. More details on this campaign for IYPH and nomination process are on are website and follow below.
THANK YOU to our digital media sponsors
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Public Private Partnerships
Welcome to Technical Affairs update. First, we would like to give you an update on the APSA-WorldVeg Breeding Consortium.
We’re continuing to process registrations for 2021 membership to the Consortium.
More details, benefits and timeline for the Consortium can be found here.
We successfully held the APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium Annual workshop on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. This year a total of 208 participants, representing 31 companies from throughout the region and world, met online May 11-12 to discuss and deliberate on promising vegetable R&D progress. Due to ongoing travel advisories and restrictions, the annual workshop, which is usually an in-person gathering at the WorldVeg Headquarters in Tainan, was facilitated online for the second-consecutive year.
Tuesday (May 11) featured breeder lead presentations , discussions and group interactions, while exclusive meetings between breeders and company representatives were conducted on Wednesday( May 12).
We would like to inform you that the Heat Stress Tolerance on Tomato & Pepper special project registration was closed on May 15th, and we are moving to next step. For the companies who registered for this project, pls wait a bit and we will contact you soon.
If you are interested in joining the consortium, You can click the link here to register online (member-only) or contact Xiaofeng Li. (xiaofeng_APSA@163.com)
Next, on APSA’s new collaboration with Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) for Screening of Tomato necrotic ringspot virus (TNRV) and Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV)-resistant sources in pepper germplasm.
In the past weeks we held meetings with industry representatives to hear their suggestions and concerns about this project. APSA has shared and discussed this feedback with NSTDA and would like to provide a summary of key points as follows:
1) To include Thai lines and refer to the original proposal (maximum 100 accessions)
2) To include more lines from the genebanks outside Thailand (maximum 200 accessions from the New Mexico State University, the World Vegetable Center and Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA.
3) We will allow members who have an entity in Thailand to apply to join this project. Previously, access to Thai lines was restricted to APSA Member Companies based in Thailand. Now, the company can provide the address of their branch in Thailand to request Thai lines. For example, Company A based in India is an APSA member with a Thailand branch; the company can use the address of its Thailand branch to request Thai lines.
4) For companies that do not have branches or entities in Thailand, the lines from Thailand cannot be shared since the project is supported by the Thai Government and subject to MTA (Material transfer agreement) of the germplasm owners in Thailand; while the seeds cannot be exported to other countries since phytosanitary tests could not be performed to cover all countries. However, said companies can still request lines from the gene banks outside Thailand.
The Seed Tech committee is working tediously on the drafting of a concept note for the APSA Seed Academy Program, which will include a mission, purpose, structure and criteria of the academy stakeholders. The concept note will be shared to the APSA executive committee in June. Stand by for some exciting activities coming from the group! The committee had a meeting in the middle of May to plan for the 2nd APSA Seed Technology Webinar to ensure getting the best speakers for this event. More details below. The committee will meet next month and are planning to select the theme for the third webinar already.
For our industry friends who would like to know more about the fundamentals of access and benefit-sharing and digital sequence information for Plant Genetic Resources and their implications for the plant breeding sector, we are pleased to share with you a video presentation from our SC IPR Biodiversity members, Ms Anke van den Hurk who gave this presentation during the Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies (WIC) midterm meeting last month. In this video, you will also get a glimpse of relevant international treaties and conventions explained in a manner that's easy to understand!
Exclusive for APSA active members only. Click here to access from APSA website: (please make sure to log-in to view video):
On the update of the IPR part for this month, the committee members and APSA Secretariat continues working with international stakeholders on policy advocacy initiatives, including proposals for a Seminar on harvested material and unauthorized use of propagating material from breeder’s perspective, which is a co-initiative from APSA, AFSTA, CIOPORA, CropLife International, Euroseeds, ISF and SAA. A presentation was made at the UPOV Seminar on Harvested Material on May 27. Besides, the secretariat is working on the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) toolbox program implementation to strengthen the capacity of Thailand and The Philippines so as to join the UPOV1991 convention. The committee is having a meeting in June and stay tuned for updates.
SC International Trade and Quarantine continues to work on the preparation of APSA’s 7th Phytosanitary Expert Consultation, which the date has been changed to July 29th. Participants at this meeting included officials from National Plant Production Offices in Asia and Pacific region, seed associations and stakeholders.
And the date for the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) Project Preparation Grant (PPG) workshop for pilot countries will be held on July 30th. In this event we have 7 pilot countries joining: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal, while representatives from Australia and New Zealand will join as observers. The secretariat is following up with the invitations and look to provide more details in the next newsletter.
Moreover, the committee is working tediously on a new APSA Recognition Award for the most innovative entomologists and plant pathologists in the Asian seed sector, and another social media campaign to celebrate the IYPH2020, in which we will recognize the Asia Pacific region’s most gifted plant pathologists, entomologists and growners. Read on for more information.
SIG Field Crops had a very productive meeting on May 19 with all of its 10 company members. The committee first discussed plans for the Train the Trainer’s program on seed production practices for field crops with a focus on IP Protection; to find potential speakers and structure the training program. The tentative period for the training will be in the middle of August this year, which we will keep you posted.
And I am pleased to inform you that the committee is also planning for SIG Field Crops webinar series, which is an exclusive benefit for APSA active members only! The first Field Crops webinar will be organized in August with the theme of “breeding for resilient field crops” stay tuned!
The committee also had joint projects with the sub committees of the SIG Vegetables & Ornamentals such as the Working Group of Integrated vegetable Seed companies (WIC) on the University Connect Initiatives and the initiative from R&D advisory committee on the APSA recognition awards to recognize influential plant breeding researchers in the Asia Pacific Seed Sector. Mr Moazzam is going to tell you more in the next couple of minutes.
The next meeting of SIG Veg & Orn is scheduled to be held on 10th June. Meanwhile, following are some updates from the sub-committees of the SIG V&O as follows:
The Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies or WIC: APSA secretariat arranged a meeting with the WIC Chair and Co-Chair to follow-up with the action points from the mid-term WIC meeting. The secretariat followed up with the attendees of the Train the Trainers program 2020 to collect their update on the training which was held in October 2020. Considering the feedback of the trainees, the responded trainee will be considered to join in the sessions planned this year under the PVP toolbox program. As Ms. Kuna mentioned, the module of the Train the Trainers Program 2021 will be focused on seed production practices with a focus on IP protection. More updates on the TTT 2021 for WIC and SIG Field crops will be shared in future podcasts.
On the University Connects initiative, we plan to collect the feedback with the National seed associations who wish to join in this initiative. More updates on this initiative will be shared soon.
Moreover, the WIC Chair and Co-chair also encouraged the secretariat to promote the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. This is all from WIC for this podcast.
The summary of the WIC mid-term meeting is available on APSA website under members area.
The Working Group of Disease Resistance Terminology The group had a recent meeting on 11th May and has finalized the bitter gourd resistance trial protocol against powdery mildew. Within the next few months, all seeds will be shipped to the DRT members to conduct resistant trials. The DRT Working Group members also reviewed the pathogen codes of the cucurbits which will be shared with ISF DRT group. More updates will be shared on the progress of this group in upcoming months.
The R&D Advisory Group: The R&D Advisory group members had the recent meeting on 20th May. The members reviewed the summary report of the ASCRT webinar 3 and decided to select the topics for future webinars which are most requested by the attendees. The R&D members were also updated about the NSTDA and World Vegetable Center updates which were already discussed by Xiaofeng and Ms. Kuna. The 4th webinar of the ASCRT series is scheduled for 16th June and the theme of this webinar is “Advances in watermelon breeding”. Registration for this webinar is open, please visit APSA website for the registration.
Finally, we are excited to announce the APSA Recognition Award for Most Influential Plant Breeding Researchers in the Asia Pacific Seed Sector. All APSA member and non-member researchers are eligible to submit the nominations for the award. The submissions for the award can only be done via nomination form and the nominees must belong to the APSA member companies / organizations / associations. The deadline to submit the nomination form is 31st July 2021 and the names of the awardees will be announced in December 2021. Please visit APSA website to check the complete eligibility criteria and to access the nomination form. Or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at moazzam@apsaseed.org.
That is all for Technical Affairs this month. Next, I would like to invite Mike to share more updates from upcoming APSA events.
Following are updates on APSA Events and other Seed Related Industry events from around the world.
APSA SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
We are happy to announce that APSA will be starting a social media campaign to celebrate the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH), declared by the United Nations General Assembly to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.
This campaign’s aim is to recognize the Asia Pacific region’s most gifted plant pathologists, entomologists, and field inspectors whose work ensures companies can deliver clean seeds to farmers and also to growers who produce clean seeds for seed companies.
All active APSA Members can participate in this campaign and if selected, they will be featured on APSA’s various Social Media Channels and within the Asian Seed Magazine. The campaign starts June 1st until July 31st 2021.
For more details, please visit the official Event Webpage on our APSA Website: https://web.apsaseed.org/events/apsa-social-media-campaign-join-us-to-celebrate-the-iyph2020
MEKONG-US PARTNERSHIP VIRTUAL WORKSHOP
From the 8th to the 10th of June 2021, in collaboration with USDA-FAS and ASTA, APSA will be holding the Mekong-US Partnership Virtual Workshop, with the focus on “Strengthening sustainable seed system for the Lower Mekong countries”
The objectives of this event are to Strengthen and bring awareness to seed sectors, on seed trade capacities, and rules-and science-based policy environments; Foster cooperation and the harmonization of seed policies among LMCs, consistent with practices and approaches in the United States and with relevant international guidelines; Promote public-private partnerships related to enabling environments for seed use and trade in LMCs and Developed an action plan for capacity building activities. The Event is invited ONLY.
For more details, please visit the official Event Webpage on our APSA Website. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/musp-virtual-workshop
ASIAN SOLANACEOUS AND CUCURBITS ROUNDTABLE (ASCRT) - SESSION 4
On the 16th of June 2021, APSA will be holding the 4th Session of the Asian Solanaceous and Cucurbits Roundtable (ASCRT). This session’s theme will focus on Advances in Watermelon Breeding and feature 2 guest speakers; Dr. Zhang from Institute of Advanced Agriculture Sciences, Peking University, China who will discuss on "Watermelon Germplasm Enhancement Using New Technologies” and Dr. Rao from Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), India who will discuss on "Emerging Priorities and Recent Achievements in Breeding Watermelon for Disease Resistance at ICAR-IIHR"
The event is open for all Active APSA Members to attend. Registration is now open and will close on Monday the 14th of June 2021. So. If you have yet to register for the event, do so immediately.
For more details, please visit the official Event Webpage on our APSA Website. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/asian-solanaceous-cucurbits-round-table
APSA SEED TECHNOLOGY WEBINAR 2
On Monday the 12th of July 2021, APSA will be holding the 2nd Session of the APSA Seed Technology Webinar. The main focus on UNLOCKING THE POWERS OF SEED COATING - Seed Applied Technologies for Value Addition on Seeds. Details and agenda of the event are still being finalized. Registration will open mid-June 2021.
For more details, please visit the official Event Webpage on the APSA Website. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/APSA-Seed-Technology-Webinar
7TH PHYTOSANITARY EXPERT CONSULTATION
On the 29th to the 30th of July 2021, APSA will be hosting the 7th Phytosanitary Expert Consultation. This event is INVITE ONLY. Staff from National Plant Protection Offices (NPPO) in Asia, Seed Association and APSA Stakeholders will be invited to participate. The purpose of the event is to continue to facilitate the seed trade in the region and to discuss further the public private partnership to strengthen the collaboration to address all concerns relating to seed movement across borders. This will be the first time that APSA has put together a consultation workshop for the STDF Project Proposal Grant to build capacity on ISPM-38 implementation to the 8 pilot countries.
For more details, please visit the official Event Webpage on the APSA Website. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/7th-phytosanitary-export-consultation
PVP ON-LINE TRAINING
In the months of August and November, APSA will be holding On-Line PVP Training Courses. In August the courses will be held specifically for the Philippines Seed Industry Association and for the Thai Seed Trade Association in November. This event will help to share knowledge on the Plant Variety Protection, plant breeders ‘rights under UPOV1991 convention as an important tool for delivering quality seeds to farmers. And to help build the capacity of national seed associations and their stakeholders on the importance of Plant Variety Protection and UPOV1991 convention through a tailor-made country specific program. Please stay tuned for more details.
OTHER SEED INDUSTRY RELATED EVENTS
IPKEY SOUTH-EAST ASIA: WEBINAR SERIES ON PLANT VARIETY RIGHTS AND UPOV 1991
The IP Key SEA invites the public in Europe and Southeast Asia to the Webinar Series on Plant Variety Rights and UPOV 1991 on 10 - 11 June 2021. The webinar series seeks to continue raising awareness on the benefits of an effective plant variety protection system and membership of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV 1991). The webinar series will focus on the main features of UPOV 1991 and tackle common issues concerning plant variety rights protection in SEA, the challenges faced by plant breeders and farmers, as well as the contribution of plant variety protection to sustainable farming and global food security while minimizing the impact on climate change.
The IP Key SEA Project, in collaboration with CPVO and UPOV, aims to raise awareness on the impact of plant variety rights and membership of countries to UPOV 1991 to farmers and plant breeders and agricultural development. We also would like to highlight the critical role of plant breeding in sustainable farming and global food security.
The webinar is FREE for all to attend but pre-registration is required. For more details on the event and how to register, please visit the Event Page on our APSA Website. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/ipkey
2021 CHINA INTERNATIONAL SEED TRADE EXHIBITION (CISTE)
China National Seed Trade Association (CNSTA) and CCPIT Sub-council of Chemical Industry together will organize the 2021 China International Seed Trade Exhibition (CISTE) at Shanghai New International Expo Center, China, on 22-24 June 2021. Based on the largest global agrochemical exhibition (CAC), CISTE builds up a professional export platform and communication and cooperation opportunities for agricultural material purchasers from more than 100 countries around the world to promote seed trade and movement between China and the other countries in the world.
For more details, please visit the Event Page on our APSA Website https://web.apsaseed.org/events/2021-china-international-seed-trade-exhibition
ISF VIRTUAL CONGRESS 2021
From the 5th to the 7th of July 2021, ISF will be holding their Virtual Congress 2021. It brings together industry leaders and external partners in a dynamic setup of international panels, keynote speeches, showcase of innovations, and live interactions – open virtually to all.
Participants will have access to the broadcast of the international panels and sponsored content and will be able to participate in the live discussions. The virtual congress also includes a live chat, forum wall, resource center, and an area to create your profile and interact with other attendees.
The link between food systems, sustainable agriculture, plant breeding innovation, and seed movement will be discussed by a line-up of industry leaders and experts in a three-day virtual event open to all:
These sessions, along with several side events hosted by sponsors, will be held live from a studio and streamed on Channel World Seed.
Participation is FREE for all to attend but pre-registration is required. For more details on the event and how to register, please visit the Event Page on our APSA Website. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/isf-virtual-congress-2021
UC DAVIS PLANT BREEDING ACADEMY
The Seed Biotechnology Center at the University of California, Davis has organized a professional development course to teach the principles of plant breeding to seed industry personnel. This two-year course addresses the reduced numbers of plant breeders being trained in academic programs. Participants meet at UC Davis for six sessions over two years. Readings and exercises continue between sessions via internet to allow participants to maintain their current positions while being involved in the course.
The course is targeted toward personnel currently involved in plant breeding programs who lack the academic background in genetics theory and practice to advance as independent breeders, and to current breeders who desire a refresher course or would like to broaden their expertise. The goal of this course is to develop the skills and abilities of current industry personnel to enable them to become independent breeders or more valuable contributors to larger breeding programs.
Originally, the course was set to begin in September of 2020 and run through June of 2022. However, due to the COVID pandemic, the initiation of PBA VIII is now delayed with plans to start in the Fall of 2021.
If you are interested in participating and applying for the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy Course, please click on the following link for more details. http://pba.ucdavis.edu/Programs/PBA_in_Davis-Class_VIII/
THE 17TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEED TECHNOLOGY 2021
The Seed Association of Thailand, in association with Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi, the Rice Department, the Department of Agriculture Extension, the Forestry Department, the Thai Seed Trade Association, the Plant Breeding and Multiplication Association of Thailand, and the Asia Pacific Seed Association, will hold the 17th National Plant Seeds Symposium at Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi, Ayutthaya, Thailand. The conference will host researchers, academics, and the private sector with the aim of growing Thailand into a global “Seed Hub”. Topics will include information on research and development of seed technology, the direction and framework for seed research for use in the seed industry, and how seed research institutions can solve the problems experienced by the Thai seed industry. Originally planned to be held in June 2021, the event has now been moved to November 2021. Once more details are finalized, we will be sure to inform all members. So please stay tuned for more details.
That is all for updates on APSA Events and other Seed Industry Related events from around the world.
As part of APSA’s digitalization and digitization strategy, in 2021 we’re offering active members even more ways to directly reach Asia-Pacific seed industry decision makers directly -- in their inbox, on their desktop PCs, laptops, smartphone, tablets, and phablets alike, through our exciting new affiliate, sponsorship, marketing, communication, advertising and publicity opportunities.
So, come learn about our dynamic, new and improving digital channels and communication tools, which will help you engage and impress thousands of APSA members and other seed industry stakeholders more efficiently and effectively, whether to build brand awareness, affiliation or corporate identity, or to attract and drive specific audiences directly to you, your services and products, we can assist you!
In sum, our 2021 ‘New Normal’ offerings include:
See see our media kit and rate sheet below for specifics, and for inquiries don’t hesitate to email Bobbie (komsak@apsaseed.org), Steven (steven@apsaseed.org) or Jerry (visavesa@apsaseed.org).
APSA and CSA cancel 2021 Asian Seed Congress: APSA and the China Seed Association have decided to cancel the 2021 Asian Seed Congress, which was scheduled to be held in Shenzhen in December 2021. The decision was made in light of sustained uncertainties about the ongoing Covid-19 situation. Download message from APSA president here.
Dialogue on Food Systems ‘transformation’ gaining momentum: International food, agricultural and germplasm organizations are amplifying advocacy efforts and engagements aiming for ‘stronger’ and ‘better’ food and nutritional security in the coming years: A number of online forums have been held and briefs issued ahead of the United Nations Food Systems Pre- Summit 26-28 July in Rome, which will be a primer to the larger United Nations Food Systems Summit, planned in September…
Registration for ISF Virtual Congress opens: Highlighting the important role of seed to build resilient food systems in anticipation of the UN Food Systems Summit later this year will be the main focus of International Seed Federation (ISF) led engagement this coming 5-7 July for the global seed trade organization’s virtual congress. On May 6, ISF announced the postponement of hosting the 2021 Congress as a physical meeting in Barcelona, Spain ...
Asian lady scientist named 2021 Word Food Prize Laureate: Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and Denmark whose parents are descendents of Indian agriculture migrant workers, has been named the 2021 World Food Prize Laureate. ...
Details on these on our international seed industry news page
Joint venture between Pacific Seeds and CSIRO aims to better tailor canola hybrids: The Winter Canola Research project, a joint-venture between Pacific Seeds and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), aims to develop improved canola hybrids …
List of the 50 plant species at greatest risk of extinction: According to Associate Professor Rod Fensham of the University of Queensland, plants make up 72% of species facing extinction …
New Canberra seed bank quadruple storage capacity: A new seed bank to be built at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra will be elemental in the conservation of native plants razed during the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season …
Worst rodent outbreak in decades threatens NSW Queensland seeding: A rodent outbreak, called the worst in decades, is causing an economic and public health crisis in Queensland and New South Wales. …
Farmers sow GM canola in South Australia: After 16 years the ban on genetically modified crops has been lifted in South Australia. …
Western Australia planting in 2021 looks bright: The total crop area planted this year is expected to be slightly higher than the record-sowing in 2020 …
More details on these and other stories in the Australia seed industry news page
Two new bean varieties developed: Two new varieties of bean have been developed by scientists at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU). …
Optimistic about basin lowland boro: Trials of Chinese and irrigation-dependent cultivars of paddy (boro) all along the Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar and Gangadhar rivers are looking promising. ...
Farmers get seed, fertilizer subsidy relief: Bengali media in April and May has reported on the extensive efforts by the Bangladeshi government to provide Covid-19 relief to farmers in the form of subsidized and free seeds and fertilizer …
Seed conservation recognition: A farmer in Satkhira District was awarded the Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award in recognition of their efforts in indigenous seed conservation. …
More on these and more in Bangladesh seed industry news
Farmers, produce-markets hit hard by pandemic: Pandemic-induced concerns for chilli pepper, cucumber and pineapple farmers in the northwest of the country. ...
Lockdowns after Battambang maize seed supplier tests positive: Battambang Provincial Administration closed three locations after an employee of a maize seed and fertilizer distribution company was deemed infected …
Demand, price for high-yielding hybrid paddy cultivar rises: The price for OM 5451 rice continues to rise driven in part by strong demand from Vietnam. ...
More on these and more in Cambodia seed industry news
‘Father of Hybrid Rice’ Yuan Longping passes away: APSA would like to express sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and associates of Professor Yuan Longping, who passed away in the southern Chinese city Changsha on Saturday (May 22). ...
Beijing Seed Regulation pitches penalties for unauthorized use of natural germplasm: The recently proposed draft bill stipulates that unauthorized harvest or use of catalogued “natural germplasm resources” be subject to fines of between 5,000 and 50,000 yuan ($784-7,840). ...
Plan pitches Jinan City as ‘North China Seed Capital’: An "Action Plan” underlines a goal to develop Jinan City as a research and innovation center for the Yellow River Basin seed industry …
Xinjiang hybrid maize production base: The Fifth Division (of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps) is classified as a National Hybrid Corn Seed Production Base, where tens of thousands of mu ...
Space Seeds distributed on UN Intl Biodiversity Day. To celebrate the United Nations International Biodiversity Day on May 22, "space seeds" were distributed to member schools of the Hong Kong Aerospace Science and Technology Youth Education Alliance …
Striving for ‘excellent varieties’ in Ningxia: A plan aims for the development and cultivation of some 40 excellent new varieties of wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, wine grapes, medlar and forage grass by 2030 …
WorldVeg sends more germplasm to ‘Doomsday Vault’: Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and the World Vegetable Center have sent some 11,700 samples of 48 vegetable species to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault off Norway. …
New soybean breeding laboratory opened in Hainan: The Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory was inaugurated in Hainan Province and is focusing on soybean R&D, encompassing molecular-scale breeding, genome-wide selection …
CNSTA, ISF, ag stakeholders in EDV, UPOV-1991 seminar: To mark World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, the China Seed Trade Association (CNSTA) with the International Seed Federation co-organized...
Hunan Province starts construction of first batch of "seed industry towns": Changsha County in Hunan Province has started the construction of a “seed industry town” …
See all China seed industry news here
Two prominent Indian seedsmen taken by Covid: The APSA Executive Committee and Secretariat would like to express our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family, friends and associates of two outspoken and respected Indian seedsmen -- Buta Singh Kanwal and Kollipara Niranjan Kumar -- who recently passed away due to the effects of Covid-19. Niranjan passed away on 8 May at the age of 47 (read tribute here). Buta Singh, who passed away on April 29, was 68 (see tribute here).
India renews pact with Israel to continue ag development projects: India and Israel have signed a three-year work program for continued cooperation
Spurious seeds seized in Telangana: Some 21 quintals (2.1 tonnes) of illegal Bt-3 cotton seeds, reportedly worth Rs 4.2 million (US$57,935), were seized in raids of wholesalers at Asifabad’s Chintala Manepally Mandal. …
Govt to distribute free soybean, peanut seeds: The Indian government will distribute free soybean and peanut seed kits to farmers across the country. …
Input subsidies offered to Chhattisgarh farmers: Input subsidies of between INR 9,000 to 10,000 ($124-138) per acre are being offered to Chhattisgarh farmers who opt on growing a number of target crops in the coming this kharif seasons …
Kerala veg farmers face double-whammy woes: As if Covid-19 complications weren’t enough, bad weather has agitated the situation for many vegetable farmers in …
Gujarat summer crops suffer wrath of Cyclone: Swathes of cropland, orchards and plantations in Gujarat have been obliterated by Cyclone Tauktae, especially …
Rapid storms lash Kashmir crops: Hailstorms and thundershowers, which reportedly lasted only 20 minutes, have badly damaged crops in agricultural villages across Kashmir. ...
India is key market for EWS: East-West Seed Global CEO, Douwe Zijp, in an interview with local media, revealed how important the Indian vegetable seed market is for the company …
MP rescinds soybean embargo after Maharashtra intervention: Senior agriculture officers in the districts of Indore and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh have rescinded their previous order that banned the transport and sale of soybean seeds …
New high-yielding, pest-resistant soybean variety: Scientists in Pune and ICAR New Delhi, have developed a new, higher yielding, pest-resistant soybean variety. …
Seed sector has high hopes for kharif season: Prompted by expectations for a good summer monsoon this year, the Indian seed industry, according to Dr Ram Kaundinya, director general of the Federation of Seed Industries of India (FSII), is optimistic …
These stories in more on Indian seed industry news page
.
MoA rice seed breeding program for irrigated areas: In order to support the productivity of seed breeders the Ministry of Agriculture is organising Field Schools …
Farmer Groups in Lubuk Pinang receive superior rice seeds: an area of 2,000 hectares of rice fields belonging to 96 farmer groups spread across six villages in Lubuk Pinang District …
Accelerating ornamental, veg seed export prospects: The Indonesian Government is boosting efforts towards national economic recovery by increasing exports of ornamental plants and vegetable seeds. …
High yielding purple corn distributed to farmers in Melaka: The Ministry of Agriculture recently oversaw the distribution of 650 kilograms of Lamuru purple corn seeds …
Jumbo taro variety developed for export: The Ministry of Agriculture is working on developing Talas Beneng, a large taro variety that has its origins in Pandeglang …
19,000 ha sown in Central Kalimantan food estate: more than 19,000 hectares of Food Estate land in Kapuas, Central Kalimantan, has been planted with superior seeds. The remaining 900 hectares will be …
20 farmer groups to receive superior corn seeds in Mukomuko: As many as 20 farmer groups with 500 hectares of agricultural land were potential candidates for receiving superior corn seed assistance …
Hybrid maize seed aid for Probolinggo farmers: A total of 15 tons of hybrid maize seeds were distributed to 68 farmer groups in Probolinggo City in East Java. …
These stories and more on our Indonesian seed industry page
Fukushima govt to reinforce farmers following April frost woes: The government of Fukushima Prefecture will provide financial relief to farmers whose horticulture crops suffered from freezing weather and frost damage in April …
Japan govt assessment on Covid-19 impacts on ag: A 2020 Food and Agriculture sector assessment by Japanese authorities assessed impacts on Japan, including from export restrictions imposed by 19 countries. …
Automatic rice transplanter demoed in Sakata City: A demonstration of an unmanned rice transplanter developed by agricultural machinery manufacturer Kubota took place in Sakata City to respond to the demands of large-scale rice production …
Oki, rice planting peak season: Paddy fields in Oki and Nakanoshima are at the peak period for rice planting. …
Tokachi sugar beet transplanting report: The transplanting of sugar beet seedlings has reached its peak in the Tokachi area, which is a main production area of the crop in Japan …
Reviving asparagus seedlings through cloning: In Biei-chō, a town in the Kamikawa Subprefecture of Hokkaido that is one of Japan's leading asparagus producing areas, efforts are underway by the Biei-cho Agricultural Cooperative to revive seedling production …
Early rice planting begins in Ibaraki: In Itako City, Ibaraki Prefecture, rice planting of an extremely early cultivar took place in the paddy fields under clear blue skies. …
Campaign launched to label genome edited crops: At the end of February, the Federation of Japanese Consumers started a campaign to force producers to label genome-edited seedlings. …
These and more on our Japan seed industry news page
New ag center with seed library opened in south Seoul: The 'Ganggamchan Urban Agricultural Center', an urban agricultural complex, which includes greenhouse complex spanning 905 square meters. …
Kenaf planting community: Community groups of the Myodo-dong division of Yeocheon city recently got together to sow kenaf seeds on a 600 square meter plot of land as part of a climate action…
White glutinous rice barley project: Gunsan City Agricultural Technology Center announced plans to secure 300 tons of seeds for high quality white glutinous rice barley …
Nongwoo presents annual scholarships: Leading Korean seed company, Nongwoo Bio, led by CEO Dong-seop Park, held a scholarship conferment ceremony at Seoul National University's College of Agriculture and Life Science. …
Free sesame seeds hoped to spark cultivation interest: With the aim of stimulating interest amongst farmers and ordinary residents to grow sesame, Paju City announced a campaign to distribute 20 kg of high-quality seeds …
Gyeonggi ‘native seeds’ collection and conservation: Efforts are underway in Gyeonggi Province to collect and preserve native seeds …
Read these stories and more in our Korea seed industry news
Melaka paddy farmers in dire need of flood barrier: Paddy farmers in Sungai Paya Luboh are calling on officials to expedite the building of retaining wall / flood barrier to protect their crops …
Rice planting delayed, certified paddy distribution delays: The Malaysian Paddy Farmers Association (PeSAWAH) claims that almost 10,000 farmers in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) have not received seed …
Certified paddy seed distribution in Kedah: April 25: 426,118 bags of certified paddy seed were being distributed to farmers around Kedah …
These stories and more in Malaysia seed industry news
Perishing crops dumped at China border: Farmers at the China-Myanmar border in Namkham Township have been dumping various types of crops stuck at the border following border closures since April …
Farmers struggle with finances: Many farmers are finding great difficulty in paying back loans they took out for the 2020 growing season …
Kachin State farmers take over ‘confiscated’ land: Kachin State militants and farmers are recapturing and redistributing lands, which were allegedly confiscated by …
Pulse farmers look to cash in on lifted quotas: In light of recent news that India has abolished quota imports for pulses, pulse prices are on the rise in Myanmar …
Magway farmers' crops, animals going thirsty: Cropland in central Myanmar is suffering from a shortage of drinking water and reduced rainfall …
This and more in Myanmar seed industry news
Apple crop outlook smudged by cooler, stormy summer: Hopes for a record apple harvest have been slashed by the prevalence of cooler temperatures and hailstorms this summer. …
Plant Variety Rights Bill to grow NZ agriculture: A new Plant Variety Rights Bill is under consideration by the New Zealand Parliament. According to industry sources, the new Bill was submitted earlier this month, and would update the current 34-year-old legislation …
Hi-tech seed processing plant opened: The culmination of three years of work, Luisetti Seeds’ cutting-edge seed-dressing plant in Ashburton was officially opened …
Soil, climate study pitches horticulture crops: A study on alternative land uses pitched blueberries, hazelnuts, cider apples and feijoas as suitable for growing …
These and more on New Zealand seed industry news
Kisan Card Scheme to link all farmers to banks, channel seed subsidies, loans: The Kisan Card scheme will bring 3.5 million farmers under a centralised system that will streamline issuing loans, subsidies and tracking the entire farming activity of those farmers. …
China report highlights Pakistani paddy potential: The China-Pakistan Agricultural and Industrial Information Platform (CPAIC) released a detailed review of the Pakistan rice industry. …
Sowing of cotton on up in South Punjab: South Punjab has seen a sharp rise in the amount of land under cotton cultivation due to incentives offered by the provincial government. …
Bumper wheat crop in Punjab: Punjab celebrated a record-setting wheat crop of over 20.9 million metric tons. …
Domestic oil crop sowing urged: In order to reduce the import burden of cooking oil, farmers in Pakistan Farmers are being encouraged to plant oily crops such as sunflower and sesame seeds. …
Pakistan with China help eradicates desert locust pest: The National Locust Control Center (NLCC) declared that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab provinces had been completely cleared of locusts. …
Government to introduce inflation controls and support wheat growers: Strong efforts were being made to control inflation due to rising prices of goods. …
Read more on Pakistan seed industry news
Pumpkin farmers hurting from falling crisis prices: At Ban Phaeng District in Nakhon Phanom Province, a meeting was held to discuss assistance for pumpkin farmers due to the falling price of pumpkin. …
Thailands ‘National Veg Policy’?: Thailand agriculture stakeholders came together for an online discussion on creating a ‘national national policy’ which was part of international dialogues to support the UN Food Systems Summit National Dialogue …
DOD to proceed with hemp seed imports: DOD Biotech subsidiary Siam Herbaltech Co., Ltd., plans to proceed with importing hemp seeds imports from the United States this June. …
Seeds for Royal Ploughing tradition prepared: Paddy seeds of five varieties were prepared for distribution to farmers nationwide. …
Chia Tai launches four new products: Chia Tai Home Garden by Chia Tai Company Limited, launched new products come in new “easy packages” …
These and more on Thailand seed industry news
DA to continue to support crop pest, disease management R&D: Agriculture Secretary William Dar emphasized the importance of crop pests and diseases management, and commitment of the Department of Agriculture to …
Pres Duterte cuts tariff quota: Facing an uncertain domestic supply, mounting inflation, and rising global rice prices, President Duterte issued an executive order cutting the tariff of imported rice to maintain food security …
Realizing the full potential of Cagayan Valley: Various crops have been pitched as potential valuable sources of income for Cagayan Valley farmers and traders looking to tap into East Asian markets …
Agricultural output up despite livestock drop thanks to increased crop production: Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on May 10 shows that agricultural output decreased by 3.3% in Q1 of 2021, compared to a 1.7% decrease in Q1 2020. …
Syngenta drone chemicals approved for drone-powered pest control, surveillance: Syngenta’s Alika 247 ZC and Match 050 EC crop protection products have been given conditional registration green light from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority. ...
High yielding public rice hybrid: Running from September 2019 to March 2020 in the Province of Tarlac, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program has been declared a success by the Tarlac provincial government. ...
High yielding public rice hybrid: Despite initial reluctance by farmers in Buenavista, Quezon Province, in adopting M20 hybrid rice, the variety is now producing excellent results. …
Senator renews call for backyard gardens: Sen. Cynthia Villar renewed has once again appealed for locals to grow food in their backyards, community gardens and/or vacant land plot …
Read more on the Philippines seed industry news
Seed growers sub-union chair appeals for support, drought relief: Chairman of the Seed Growers Sub-Union (TYAB) of Turkish Seed Union (TÜRKTOB), Hacı Ömer Güler, recently appealed to the Turkish Grain Board to provide support for seed producers affected by drought and to prevent high food prices. ...
Domestic sunflower seed production: A joint project by the Trakya Agricultural Research Institute and two companies in Tekirdağ and Edirne has been launched to develop two hybrid sunflower seeds...
Turktob sub unions meet to discuss current challenges: Plant Breeders Sub-Union (BİSAB) of Turkey Seed Growers Association (TÜRKTOB) recently hosted a meeting of TÜRKTOB sub-unions to discuss the various challenges facing the Turkish seed industry. ...
These and more on Turkey seed industry news page
Famous viet rice variety trademark protection registration: ST rice varieties such as ST24, ST25 have become popular on the global market; companies in the United States have attempted to trademark ST25 rice, which has led to trademark protection queries in Vietnam. Original story in Vietnamese here and here.
Gia Lai Pepsi potato production success: In March 2021, farmers in Chu Se and Dak Doa districts harvested the first 36 hectares of potatoes in a project conducted in partnership with PepsiCo Foods Vietnam. …
Loc Troi Group announces positive results in first quarter: After suffering a loss of nearly USD 1.6 million in the first quarter of 2020, Loc Troi Group Joint Stock Company showed excellent financial results in the first quarter of this year …
HG12 rice variety in Thua Thien Hue: After many years of development the highly valued HG12 rice variety has shown potential for high yields and tolerance to pests. …
Enterprises commit to supporting rice seed prices for farmers in Quang Tri: The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Thaibinh Seed Corporation held a conference to evaluate the results of testing the new …
These and more in Vietnam seed industry news
The above are only a sample of what’s new. For more of all the latest news updates from around the region, visit our respective news portals by country:
|
Australia |
Bangladesh |
Cambodia |
China |
India |
Indonesia |
Japan |
Korea, South |
|
Laos |
Malaysia |
Myanmar |
Nepal |
New Zealand |
Pakistan |
Philippines |
Singapore |
|
Thailand |
Turkey |
Vietnam |
Central Asia |
Middle East |
International |
Asian Seed magazine Vol. 27 No.1 (Quarter 1, 2021)
This issue is packed with interesting and timely content. In addition to our quarterly addresses from the President and Executive Director, which include important updates from the Executive Committee and APSA Secretariat.
We’ve compiled some seed industry news from around the region and world, and there’s also some exclusive content from members and sponsors. Among these include updates from our seed association contributors, and some member companies, including a story from Chia Tai about the launch of new packaging for their Home Garden and urban gardening line; We have an exclusive interview with the new CEO of East-West Seed, revealing details about the company’s leadership, strategy and positioning moving forward. Furthermore, there’s a feature story about CGIAR’s Excellence in Breeding platform, as well as an exclusive interview with the OECD about their Seed Scheme, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition, we have updates from all of APSA’s technical activities, projects and initiatives, including summaries from our last AGM, and seed association meeting. There’s an introduction to all of our current EC members and a list of upcoming events. The cover feature is a comprehensive overview of plant cultivation history, trends and technology, covering everything from general systems such as vertical farming, container farms and plant factories to specific systems and arrays including the difference between hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics. You don’t want to miss this. APSA members have exclusive 2-week lead access to the magazine, with the download link and password included in your email. The public edition will be published later in April.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
© 2020, Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance, Ltd. Unless where otherwise stated, all content in this newsletter is protected by
Copyright © laws, and/or utilized under non-commercial "Fair Use" provisions. This Newsletter is sent to APSA active members, and select stakeholders and associates.
If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe via this link.
