August 2025 Newsletter
Dear members and partners,
Welcome to the August 2025 APSA Newsletter!
As August draws to a close, fields across East, South and Southeast Asia are soaking up nourishing rains, setting the stage for abundant cereal and vegetable harvests in the months ahead. Culminating an intense summer, cooler conditions will soon be setting in across northern Asia, bringing with them both challenges and opportunities for farmers preparing for the next cropping cycle.
For APSA, August has also been a season of milestones. I have just returned from Tokyo, where we successfully concluded APSA’s 2025 Regional Plant Variety Protection (PVP) and Biodiversity Consultation. This was APSA’s second such consultation, but the first ever held in Japan, hosted graciously with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) and the Japan Seed Trade Association (JASTA)
This consultation marked the completion of the three flagship policy consultations that APSA committed to organize this year:
Together, these meetings have reinforced APSA’s role as a regional convenor—creating trusted spaces where government regulators, seed industry leaders, and international experts can engage in meaningful dialogue, share perspectives, and learn from one another in shaping policy frameworks that underpin agricultural innovation.
Big thanks to all the experts who shared their knowledge and passion for the often complex subjects, and the partner organizations who made these consultations a reality: ASTA, CropLife, MUSP, SEMAE, Canada Grains Council. I appreciate the trust you have placed in APSA.
With this milestone behind us, APSA now turns its full attention to the coming months of preparation for the Asian Seed Congress 2025 in Mumbai (17–21 November). September and October will be busy as we finalize programs, technical sessions, and logistics for what promises to be the region’s most important seed industry gathering of the year.
I would like to remind voting representatives to be sure you are registered to attend Congress—not only for the rich networking, business, and social aspects, but also to exercise your right to vote during the Annual General Meeting on 20 November.
Look out for more communications from the Secretariat on the agenda and schedule they are finalized.
More updates on APSA’s technical affairs, upcoming seed industry events, and key news can be found in this newsletter and newscast, linked above.
Until then—Seed you in September, and #SeedYouinMumbai
Francine Sayoc,
Executive Director
THANK YOU to our digital media sponsors
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2025 APSA Seed Technology Webinar - Session 4
APSA will be holding Session 4 of the 2025 APSA Seed Technology Webinar on 3 October 2025, with the focus on Pollen Science for the Next Generation: Technology, Storage & Applications. This webinar will feature 2 guest speakers: Dr. P.E. Rajasekharan, Former Principal Scientist, Division of Plant Genetic Resources, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore, India; and Dr. Jörg Schrickel, Head of Marketing, Amphasys AG, Switzerland. Participation in this event is FREE for all ACTIVE APSA Members. For more details, visit please visit our official event page here.
2025 Asian Seed Congress
The 2025 Asian Seed Congress will be held at the JIO World Convention Center (JWCC) in Mumbai, India from the 17th to the 21st of November 2025, and will be co-hosted by the National Seed Association of India (NSAI) and the Federation of Seed Industries of India (FSII). This year’s congress theme is “Sowing Prosperity Through Quality Seed” and will feature exciting Technical Sessions.
As of today, we have a total of 886 registered delegates, which includes 328 voting reps, 540 delegates, 11 accompanying persons and 7 invited guests.
Please be advised that September is the last and final month for the Regular Registration Period of USD 800 per delegate, after which we will enter the Late Registration Period where delegate registration will be USD 850 per person. So, if you have not yet registered, do so immediately!
Also available at this year’s congress will be 210 trading tables, 15 semi-private meeting rooms, 5 private meeting rooms and 40 regular exhibition booths and 4 super booths. We are happy to inform you that we are completely SOLD OUT of all trading tables and exhibition booths. The only thing remaining is 1 Private Meeting Room. So, BOOK NOW if you are interested!
This is also an important reminder that due to the geopolitical situation in India, there is a new visa policy procedure for all delegates attending this year’s congress. Please make sure to update yourself on the new policy here.
Please also don’t forget to hurry and book their hotel accommodations. This year we have a total of 6 partnered hotels, but all booking links will be closed soon. For more details on each hotel, their rates, payment & cancellation policy, please click here.
For more information on congress agenda, rate sheet, official floor plan, India Visa & Import Policy, how to register and other congress related details, please visit the official event page.
Other Seed Related Events
The 27th International Pepper Conference, hosted by the World Vegetable Center, will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from the 19th to the 22nd of January 2026. This premier event brings together global experts, researchers, industry leaders, and pepper enthusiasts to share the latest innovations and insights in pepper breeding, production, and research. For those who are interested in attending, registration is now open. Early-Bird Registration will close on 12 September 2025.
We also invite companies and organizations to support this international gathering as official sponsors. Sponsorship packages offer excellent visibility before, during, and after the event, with benefits including exhibition space, logo placements, and complimentary registrations.
Whether you're a researcher, part of the pepper industry, or a pepper enthusiast, this is your chance to connect and learn about peppers on a global scale.
For more information, please click here.
Standing Committees and Special Interest Groups
SC International Trade & Quarantines
The APSA Standing Committee on International Trade and Quarantine are working on finding the speakers for the draft agenda of the upcoming Asian Seed Congress Technical Sessions on the topic of Seed movement.
SC IPR & Biodiversity
The Standing Committee for IPR & Biodiversity (SC IPR&BIO) organized the APSA 2025 Regional Plant Variety Protection & Biodiversity Consultation in Tokyo, Japan on August 26-28 with the support of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), Japan Seed Trade Association (JASTA), and SEMAE. The 3-day consultation provides an opportunity to engage with officials from other countries in the region and stakeholders working on PVP and ABS matters. In the first 2 days, the participants discussed on the Plant Variety Protection that includes DUS testing, EDV, and PVP enforcement, and on the third day (August 28th) they discussed the ABS regulations of the participating countries and international conventions such as Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). The consultation was joined 55 participants in person and more than 10 participants online, including government representatives from 14 countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos PDR, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The industry was represented by nominees of Seed Associations, experts from industry organizations including the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), Anti-Infringement Bureau for IP Rights on Plant Material (AIB), CropLife Asia (CLA), International Seed Federation (ISF), Naktuinbouw, Seed Innovation & Protection Initiative Asia Pacific (SIPI), and International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
The Standing Committee on Plant Breeding Innovation
After organizing the first APSA PBI consultation last year, the committee works on the technical sessions of the Asian Seed Congress. APSA’s President participated in and presented at a genome editing workshop organized by the Korean RDA in advance of this year's APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology and the APEC Food Security Ministers' Meeting, hosted by Korea this year. The presentation highlighted the current state of play of PBI regulatory frameworks in Asia to the 21 APEC Member Economies, as well as recent positive developments in the region and APSA’s involvement in progressing discussions on this issue in the region.
Let us move to an update from Standing Committee on Seed Technology:
The committee had the Q3 committee meeting on August 11th to brainstorm seed tech related activities namely, the planning for the upcoming APSA Seed Technology webinar session 4 on Pollen Science for the next generation : Technology, Storage & Applications, which the committee has decided to shift the date to October 3rd. A few more topics were also discussed for example the APSA Seed Academy x SIPP update and the ASC 2025 Seed & Tech Showcase (Sponsored session).
Besides, they are happy to welcome a new opbserver and congratulate to a committee member as follows:
1. Welcome to New Observer
The committee is pleased to welcome Mr. Mohammed Anees G., Seed Technology Expert from HM Clause India, as an observer. Mr. Anees brings over seven years of experience in seed processing, drying, treatment, and automation. His contributions include pioneering hybrid seed treatment protocols, developing tomato seed polishing techniques, and leading the creation of the industry’s first vegetable seed dryer. His expertise and innovative approach are expected to enrich the committee’s discussions and initiatives.
2. Congratulations to Dr. G.V. Jagadish – ISTA Advocate for Asia
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. G.V. Jagadish on his appointment as the ISTA Advocate for India and the Asian region. While the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) is one of APSA’s key stakeholders, we look forward to his leadership in advancing seed technology and quality standards in the region.
As an ISTA Advocate, Dr. Jagadish will play a vital role in:
Special Interest Group on Field Crops (SIG Field Crops)
The APSA SIG Field Crops committee had the quarter 3 committee meeting early this month to discuss on several topics, mainly on the preparation of the Field Crops study tour and the APSA Field Crops webinar session 2.
This month, the committee is pleased to share that the second session of the APSA Field Crops Webinar Series, held on 27 August 2025, was a success. The session focused on Carbon Credit Management in Field Crops. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Katherine Nelson from IRRI for her insightful presentation on inclusive digital tools for climate-informed agroecological transitions, and to Dr. Kanyanat (Pattama) Sirithunya and Dr. Suraphon Chaiwongsar from RMUTL for their valuable perspectives on carbon credit management.
A special thank you to Dr. Venkatram Vasantavada for moderating the session with great professionalism and engagement.
Stay tuned for updates on upcoming webinars and activities from the SIG Field Crops!
Special Interest Group on Vegetables and Ornamentals (SIG V&O)
The APSA Special Interest Group for Vegetables & Ornamentals convened its Q3 meeting on August 13, 2025, to discuss key updates and strategic plans. A major highlight was the announcement of the upcoming call for nominations for the 2026 SIG/SC committees, following the resignation of Mr. Rahul Ashok Pagar from his Chair position. The APSA Secretariat will open nominations in September, encouraging current and new members to contribute to the technical committees starting January 2026.
Another exciting development was the planning of the 2025–2026 study tour to Spain, aimed at exploring vegetable and ornamental seed innovations.
Subgroup activities were also actively discussed. The R&D Advisory Group shared progress on the APSA Breed Better TGIF Webinar series and introduced three new APSA–WorldVeg Consortium projects focusing on tomato and bitter gourd breeding. Meanwhile, the WIC subgroup reported on its midyear meeting in Jakarta, which led to the formation of a task force with the Indonesian government to address industry concerns on PVP and import regulations. The DRT subgroup continues to advance its ring tests and seed sourcing efforts, with promising collaboration from WorldVeg.
The Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies or WIC
This month WIC Co-Chair, Dr Ha Thuy Nguyen joined the APSA SIG Veg & Orn quarter 3 meeting to update the WIC Midterm Meeting in Jakarta to the SIG V&O committee. Stay tuned for more info.
The Disease Resistance Terminology Working Group (DRT):
This month, APSA had a meeting with Anthimos Kampouridis, Scientist – Cucurbit Breeding at World Vegetable Center Research & Training Station in Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand to seek a possibility for collaboration on the DRT Bitter Gourd Powdery Mildew project. Stay tuned for more updates!
For the R&D Advisory Group,
The APSA R&D Advisory Group held its Quarter 3 meeting on August 6, 2025, to review progress and plan upcoming activities. The committee discussed confirmed preparations for Session 4, focusing on New Breeding Techniques, scheduled for October 24.
The meeting also covered updates from the WorldVeg Breeding Consortium, including the launch of three special projects targeting tomato hybrids, bitter gourd genomics, and TOBRFV-tolerant genetics. A Luffa Open Field Day was held on August 7 at WorldVeg Kamphaeng Campus, showcasing over 600 advanced breeding lines. Plans for the 2026 ASCRT Roundtable in Bangalore were also discussed, alongside the upcoming call for nominations for APSA Technical Committees in September.
We are pleased to report the successful completion of the APSA Breed Better TGIF Webinar – Session 3, held on August 22, 2025, focusing on Male Sterility Systems. The session featured insightful presentations from Asst. Prof. Dr. Igarashi Keisuke of Tohoku University, Japan, and Dr. Shyam Sundar Dey from ICAR-IARI, India, covering both theoretical and applied aspects of cytoplasmic male sterility and its role in vegetable crop improvement.
Besides, we extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Girish Patil, Member of the APSA R&D Advisory Group, for his excellent moderation of the session. His thoughtful facilitation ensured a smooth flow of discussions, engaging Q&A segments, and a well-rounded wrap-up that highlighted key takeaways for future exploration.
The committee thanks all speakers, participants, and organizers for their contributions to making this session a success.
APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium
APSA in the Field: Luffa Open Field Day 2025
APSA recently joined the Luffa Open Field Day 2025 on August 7th at the World Vegetable Center Research & Training Station in Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand—home to more than 600 high-quality luffa breeding lines and F1 hybrids. These resilient varieties are bred to thrive under challenging conditions, showcasing the power of innovation in vegetable breeding.
This field day is part of the APSA–WorldVeg Consortium Special Project, which offers APSA members exclusive access to advanced breeding lines tailored to meet the evolving needs of the region.
It is another example of how #APSA bridges science and practice—connecting researchers, breeders, and the field to drive progress in vegetable production.
Special projects announcement
We are excited to inform you on the 3 special project announcements from APSA-WorldVeg Consortium with details as follows. Please note that ONLY the active members of the 2025/2026 APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium are eligible to participate in these projects.
1.Genomics-based prediction of heterosis for yield and earliness, and stacking key resistance traits into successful new bitter gourd hybrids (Project duration: 1 November 2025 –31 October 2028 - 3 years)
Registration period: 1 August – 30 September 2025
Objectives:
Develop High-Yielding, Early-Maturing, Disease-Resistant Hybrids: Combine high yield potential and earliness with resistance to key diseases, including begomovirus, crinivirus, and powdery mildew.
Utilize Heterosis to Improve Yield and Earliness:
Identify and exploit heterotic groups among 400 advanced breeding lines using high-density genotypic data (GBS).
Select the best parental lines from complementary heterotic groups to develop superior hybrids.
Evaluate general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability to identify the most promising parent combinations.
Conduct Multi-Location Hybrid Evaluation:
In the first year, evaluate parental lines, hybrids, and commercial checks at the World Vegetable Center, Thailand.
Member companies can then conduct multi-location trials to assess hybrid performance and stability across environments, and share data for yield and yield related traits for evaluating and selecting best parentals for hybrid crosses.
Delivery of new inbred lines derived from top-performing hybrids and best combiners at the end of the project.
Identify Genetic Markers for Key Traits:
Use GBS and phenotypic data of 400 inbred lines in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify major QTLs linked to earliness and other agronomic traits.
Develop molecular tools for marker-assisted selection based on identified QTLs.
Enhance Virus and Disease Resistance in Bitter Gourd:
ToLCNDV Resistance: Introgress resistance from AVBG1655 into elite breeding lines across major market segments.
Powdery Mildew Resistance: Develop new hybrids using 20 resistant inbred lines identified during December 2024–March 2025.
Crinivirus Resistance: Screen breeding lines in greenhouse and field conditions. If successful, provide resistant material as an optional project output.
2. High-Performance WorldVeg Tomato F1 Hybrids and Breeding Lines to Accelerate Variety Release (Project duration: 1 October 2025 - 30 September 2027 - 2 years)
Registration period: 1 August – 30 November 2025
Objectives:
Interested companies can get seeds of selected hybrids of their choice for testing at their locations, and obtain information and seeds of the parental lines of the selected hybrids. Seeds of F2 population from each selected hybrid is also available upon request. It is important to note that some of the hybrids share a parent, which means that the same line may have been used as a parent for more than one hybrid.
3. Identifying, Validating, and Deploying TOBRFV-Tolerant Tomato Genetics to Broaden the Genetic Base and Strengthen Breeding Programs (Project duration: 1 January 2026 –31 December 2030 - 5 years)
Registration period: 1 August – 30 November 2025
Objectives:
The 2025 APSA WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium is now open for registration. Join the APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium to gain exposure to the latest research and connect with international breeders and scientists. Click here for more information.
This is all for now for the short SC/SIG updates. Thank you very much and stay tuned for more updates next month.
The following country seed industry news pages have been updated with recent news briefs. To read full briefs, click the respective flag below, which links to the respective national seed industry news landing pages, where you can find all recent news briefs from that country:
New Trials To Test Climate-Smart Farming Technologies In Queensland: A AUD 1.25 million project in the Mossman region of Queensland will test new farming technologies . . . Read
Mini Cold Storages Provided For Farmers: The Ministry of Agriculture has handed over 100 solar-powered, app-controlled units to farmer groups nationwide. Funded by the Climate Change Trust Fund, the technology was customized locally and offers two models . . . Read
Falling Global Demand Drives Sharp Drop In Rice Prices: Cambodia’s rice sector is facing a price crisis as global demand weakens due to import suspensions and oversupply. . . Read
Aid For Farms Hit By Floods And Drought: China has allocated more than one billion yuan (~USD 139 million) to support recovery of agricultural production impacted by recent floods and droughts . . . Read
Court Allows Sale Of Notified Hybrid Rice Seeds In Punjab: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has overturned a state directive banning the use of notified hybrid rice seeds in Punjab, allowing their sale to continue. . . . Read
Retail Price Ceiling Raised For Medium-Quality Rice: Indonesia’s National Food Agency (Bapanas) has increased the ceiling retail price (HET) for medium-quality rice. . . Read
Ag Ministry Extends Deadline for Sale of Stockpiled Rice: The agriculture ministry has extended the deadline for selling government-stockpiled rice released under discretionary contracts, citing slow deliveries to retailers. . . Read
APEC Ministers Adopt Food Security Declaration In Seoul: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members adopted a joint declaration in Seoul on August 10, committing to strengthen food security through innovation and sustainable agri-food systems. . . . Read
Gov’t Raises Ploughing Incentive For Padi Farmers: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) has increased the Ploughing Incentive for Padi Farmers (IPKP) from RM100 to RM160 (~USD 24 to 38) per hectare per season, effective this year. . . Read
Paddy Transplantation Falls Amid Delayed Rainfall: The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development reported that paddy transplantation across Nepal has decreased to 94.9% of target area this season. . . Read
Plant Breeders Explore Gene Technology Options: The New Zealand Plant Breeding and Research Association (NZPBRA) held a forum in Christchurch to discuss the potential adoption of new gene technologies while maintaining the country’s GMO-free trade position. . . Read
Gov’t Approves Seed Labeling System: Pakistan’s National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA) has approved key reforms, including a pilot launch of a Truth-in-Labelling System for cotton to ensure seed quality and traceability. . . Read
Gov’t Suspends Rice Imports For 60 Days To Support Farmers: Aug 12: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a two-month suspension of rice importation from September 1. . . Read
Export Board Promotes Smart Farming Solutions: Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board (EDB) has held awareness sessions in the north western and central provinces to promote smart agriculture and aquaculture technologies among exporters. . . . Read
Thai Rice Sector Faces Price Pressure And Rising Competition: Thailand’s rice industry is under strain as global and domestic prices fall, compounded by India’s plan to release 20 million tonnes of stock into the market. . . Read
Storm Kajiki Floods Over 80,000 Hectares Of Crops: Typhoon Kajiki caused widespread agricultural losses after making landfall in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces on August 26. . . Read
Seed Industry News by country in alphabetical order
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Australia |
Bangladesh |
Cambodia |
China |
India |
Indonesia |
Japan |
Korea, South |
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Laos |
Malaysia |
Myanmar |
Nepal |
New Zealand |
Pakistan |
Philippines |
Singapore |
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Sri Lanka |
Thailand |
Turkiye |
Vietnam |
Central Asia |
Middle East |
International |
As part of APSA’s sustained digitalization and digitization efforts, in 2023 we’re offering active members even more ways to directly reach Asia-Pacific seed industry decision-makers 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.
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Asian Seed magazine Vol. 31 No.2 (Quarter 2, 2025)
Issue 2 of Asian Seed & Planting Material (2025) offers timely regional updates on the sweeping impacts of agricultural and seed trade developments across the first half of the year. The tone is set by opening addresses from APSA’s President and Executive Director, reflecting on progress toward APSA’s strategic objectives over the past quarter. The cover feature delivers a consolidated snapshot of key news from across Asia and Oceania, providing essential context for understanding the volatility shaping the APAC seed landscape in H1 2025. This is complemented by concise summaries from APSA’s recent midyear meetings in Jakarta, including updates from the Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies and national/local seed associations. Additional highlights include a heartfelt memoir from retiring APSA icon Jack Metzelaar, and coverage of the 9th Annual APSA–WorldVeg Breeding Consortium Workshop held in May in Tainan. The issue wraps up with a detailed APAC maize seed trade report, featuring the latest value and volume trends for imports and exports across the region.
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