Quality Seed | Quality Life
September 2022 Newsletter
Welcome everyone to the September newsletter and podcast. I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy.
This month, we continue our program and activities as planned. Our study tour in Netherlands was well organized under collaboration with Plantum and all the companies who provided support for our 14 visiting delegates. We would like to thank Mr. Niels Louwaars, Secretary-General of Plantum and Mr. Jack Metzelaar, committee member of SIG Veg & Orn, for their great support throughout the preparation process of the full five-day program for our delegates. Our webinars conducted by SC Seed Technology, SIG Field Crops and R&D advisory group are on-going through to the end of this year. Please keep yourself updated on our website and our social media.
We recently launched the e-learning platform for all participants joining the cucurbinars series, and next year we will open this to all members who are interested to view all the sessions we conducted in 2021, which will be available as e-learning courses. This month, the nomination submission period for the Most Influential Seed Technology in APAC has concluded, and the awardees will be announced in November during our Asian Seed Congress. Please stay tuned.
Moving to activities related to capacity building activities and collaboration between the public and private sectors. On 11 – 12 October, 2022, APSA with the National Seed Association Malaysia (NSAM) to co-organize an international webinar with Malaysia’s Department of Agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) and Asean Seed Council (ASC). The webinar, which will focus on the topic of paving the way for the seed industry, will offer networking activities. It is open to the public, and only registration is required, with more details on our website here.
Coming up on October 12, APSA has an important meeting with our partners at APAARI, ISF, CropLife Asia and ASTA, as part of the working group for our Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) project proposal to enhance the seed trade in the region, which will be initiated with a pre-inception workshop. NPPOs and National Seed Associations from our main participating countries – Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam – well as advisory countries, Australia and New Zealand – will join. This is a great start of the project to ensure the activities are set according to the needs of each country when it comes to implementation of ISPM38, ISPM45, ePhyto and lab accreditation systems, which were the focus during our 8th APSA Phytosanitary Expert Consultation (see page 23).
Next, on the 2022 Asian Seed Congress: currently, we have more than 900 delegates registered from more than 300 companies, and we look forward to welcoming more delegates. Please take this last opportunity to register by the end of October to ensure you are included in the delegate book. The registration fee is still US$ 750 per delegate and we will still process late registrations, though company details received after October 31 can only be included in an excel sheet on our website.
Regarding our upcoming AGM: Candidates who are eligible to stand for election will be announced the first week of October. In this announcement, we will also provide details about the election procedures. We are really looking forward to support from our members during the AGM in electing the most suitable candidates to be Executive Committee members, so stand by for that announcement.
Finally, I would like to express appreciation and gratitude to all colleagues, and committee members for all their sustained efforts, dedication, commitment, and perseverance, which has been key to our success and achievements thus far. Thank you very much and again I would like to thank all APSA members for sustained support. I will be on my maternity leave from 13 October. I wish all of you a successful rest of 2022 and hopefully, we can meet at the Asian Seed Congress. Take care.
If you have any suggestions on our activities, the key issues you are facing in your seed business and possible collaborations, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at may@apsaseed.org.
May Chodchoey,
APSA Executive Director
may@apsaseed.org.
THANK YOU to our digital media sponsors
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APSA Membership term is 1 January through 31 December. APSA Membership Fees are non-refundable and we do not provide pro rata of membership rates. As of now, we have 412 active members who paid membership for 2022.
The Asian Seed Congress 2022 will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from the 14th to the 18th of November 2022 at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre. As of now, we have 775 Participates registered, 141 trading tables reserved, 15 Semi-private meeting room reserved, 2 private meeting room reserved, 26 Regular booths reserved and 1 Super Booth reserved.
ASC2022 registration is open and we welcome all members to register for the 2022 Asian Seed Congress.
If you have any questions, or if there is anything else we can assist you with please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Mr. Komsak Kamjing (Bobbie)
APSA Membership Coordination Manager
2022 APSA Cucurbinars - Thank God It's Friday – Session 4
The 2022 APSA Cucurbinars - Thank God Its Friday webinar series consisting of 6 sessions covering Cucurbit crops in Asia and Pacific Region (Watermelon, Melon, Bitter gourd, Cucumber, Pumpkin & Squash and other gourds). Each session is to be held on Friday each month from July to December 2022. This series is exclusively for APSA members and will give them the opportunity to learn about Abiotic and biotic stress; Improvement in breeding and cultivation; and new variety release from participating companies. One-time registration to attend all 6 sessions with additional benefits of 6 months access to APSA seed academy platform with certificate of attendance and record of each session and special 5% discount for the same person register to an in-person ACRT in 2023.
For more information on registration fee, on how to register please visit the official event page 2022 APSA Cucurbinars - TGIF
2022 APSA Seed Technology Webinar – Session 3
On Friday the 7th of October 2022 from 13.00 - 15.00 hrs. (ICT/GMT+7), APSA will be holding Session 3 of the 2022 APSA Seed Technology Webinar. This session will focus on the Application of Nanotechnology in Seed Enhancement. We are currently finalizing agenda and guest speakers, so please stay tuned for more details.
Empowering the Seed Industry 2022
Hosted by the Department of Agriculture of Malaysia and co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI), ASEAN Seed Council (ASC), National Seed Association of Malaysia (NSAM) and the Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA), The Empowering Seed Industry 2022, “Quality Seeds Ensuring Food Security” is scheduled to be held on 10-12 October 2022. Held both physically & virtually, this event is expected to attract 3000 participants, including key executives, officials, legislators, and scientists who share a common stake in developing, producing, distributing, regulating, and trading quality seeds.
This exclusive event is more than just meeting ASEAN members and industry stakeholders. Featuring technical sessions, empowering the National Seed Industry Conference 2022 and the International Webinar on Paving the Way for Seed Industry Symposium 2022 facilitates a prime opportunity for stakeholders to get together in one place for a memorable and energetic week, in which delegates can network, grow their business, and get updated on the latest industry and technological developments such as high-tech agricultural methods with the IR 4.0 approach, so as to gain an advantage in the most popular and money making region in the world.
PARTICIPATION IS ABSOLUTELY FREE BUT PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
For more details on agenda and how to register, please visit https://web.apsaseed.org/events/empowering-the-seed-industry-2022
2022 APSA Field Crops Webinar - Session 2
On Thursday the 20th of October 2022 from 13.00 - 15.00 hrs. (ICT/GMT+7), APSA will be holding Session 3 of the 2022 APSA Field Crops Webinar. This session will focus on Yield Enhancement Technology in Field Crops. We are currently finalizing agenda and guest speakers, so please stay tuned for more details.
ISTA Workshop on Quality Assurance & ISTA Accreditation for Beginners
APSA, in collaboration with the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) will be holding the ISTA Workshop on Quality Assurance & ISTA Accreditation for Beginners from 21 – 23 November 2022. This physical workshop aims to provide knowledge on the quality management system for the seed testing laboratory. The course covers the document preparation, accreditation standard requirement, ISTA rules, equipment management, material testing, sampling process, sample preparation and the internal audit process for ISTA lab accreditation. During the 3 day-program, all participants will be able to practice on how to write the documents and be able to perform hands-on training on equipment testing and seed sampling conducted by the professional instructors from ISTA.
Registration for this event is only 200 USD per person. We are allowing a maximum of only 20 participants to attend. So, it is a First-Cone First-Serve basis for registration.
For more details on the agenda, lecturer profile and how to register, please visit https://web.apsaseed.org/events/ista-qa-accreditation-for-beginners-workshop
39th International Vegetable Training Course
WorldVeg is pleased to announce that the 39th International Vegetable Training Course: Post-Harvest Management for Fruit and Vegetables will be held on 21 - 25 November 2022 at WorldVeg's Research & Training Station, Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand, after suspending 2 years. The objective of the course is to provide participants with the knowledge and hands-on experience on good postharvest management of fresh fruit and vegetables. The course is taught by experts from Kasetsart University, Mahidol University (Institute of Nutrition), the Royal Project Foundation and World Vegetable Center. The language of instruction will be in English. The training methods will be a blend of classroom lectures, hands-on exercises and excursions. Originally USD 1,950 including training fees, accommodation, meals, local transportation, excursions, and local health insurance. All APSA members are welcome to participate. WorldVeg offers a 20% discount on course tuition to all 2022 APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium members, and this benefit extends to all employees of a Consortium Company. Participants of the 2022 consortium members will be offered a USD 80 discount per person. The maximum number of participants is 20. Registration operates on a first-come, first-serve basis. Payments must be received by 30 September 2022. The organizers will assist in the visa application process, but it is the applicant's responsibility to obtain a valid visa remains. Application Deadline is 31 August 2022.
For more details on the event, please visit the official event page. https://web.apsaseed.org/events/39th-ivtc
2022 Asian Seed Congress (ASC 2022)
We are now less than 2 months away until the 2022 Asian Seed Congress (ASC 2022), which will be held in in Bangkok, Thailand from the 14th to the 18th of November 2022 at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre. This year’s congress will feature 200 trading tables, 30 semi-private meeting rooms, 5 private meeting rooms and over 30 exhibition booths, all located on a single floor.
Please be advised that the Normal Registration Period for the 2022 Asian Seed Congress has now passed. Anyone registering in the month of October will only have to pay 750 USD per person, but their details will not be within this year’s Delegate Book. For those who have registered in the normal registration period and have yet to make payment, please make sure to pay by 10 October, if you wish you have your details shown within the Delegate Book.
Please see below for further updates:
Registration Update:
Invitation Letter
Please be advised that all paid delegates will receive a Normal Invitation Letter to attend the 2022 Asian Seed Congress. All invitation letters will ONLY be sent to paid registered delegates and will be sent by the National Organizing Committee directly to the delegate’s email address. For those who require a Special Invitation Letter for Visa Application, please contact APSA’s Event Manager, Mr. Mike Kingpayom at mike@apsaseed.org
Import/Export & Quarantine Procedures
For any participating company that wishes to bring in their product and/or machinery into Thailand to display at the 2022 Asian Seed Congress, it is important that you fill-out the required document. Please CLICK HERE to view and download the ASC 2022 Seed Import Declaration Form. Please make sure to send the filled document to APSA’s Event Manager, Mr. Mike Kingpayom at mike@apsaseed.org
Post-Congress Tour
We are also now happy to inform you that registration is now open for the 2022 Asian Seed Congress Post-Congress Tour. This year we are offering 3 tours: East-West Seed – NSTDA Tour, the NSTDA – Chia Tai Tour and the East West Seed – Chia Tai Tour. Registration fee for the first two tours is only 50 USD per person, and registration fee for the third tour is 80 USD per person. For more details on ASC 2022 Post-Congress Tour Agenda and how to register, please visit https://web.apsaseed.org/asc2022/post-congress-tours
ASC 2022 Golf Tournament
This year’s ASC 2022 Golf Tournament will be held on Sunday, 13 November at the Thana City Country Club. Conveniently located only 25 minutes from downtown Bangkok, The 7,008-yard, par 72, Greg Norman-designed course is set in beautifully landscaped surroundings and features fast greens, strategically placed bunkers as well as natural lakes and streams. Excellent drainage allows for play throughout the year. Participation in the ASC 2022 Golf Tournament is for registered as ASC 2022 delegates or accompanying persons only. Registration per player will cost only $200 USD and will include transportation from and to the hotel, green tee fee for 18-holes, a personal caddie, golf cart, buffet lunch and drinks. For more details on the ASC 2022 Golf Tournament and how to register, please visit https://web.apsaseed.org/asc2022/golf-tournament
Please do not forget to visit the official 2022 Asian Seed Congress Webpage at https://web.apsaseed.org/asc2022 for more information on congress agenda, official floor plan, COVID-19 Travel regulations to Thailand, and other congress related details.
That is all for Upcoming APSA Events. Now for some details regarding upcoming seed industry events from around the world.
Korea Seed Expo 2022
This year’s Korea Seed Expo 2022 will be held both physically and virtually. The physical event will be held for 3 days from 13 – 15 October, and the virtual event will be held for 2 weeks from 13 – 26 October. The physical exhibition area will consist of 4 main zones: The Story & Business Zone; the Institution Zone; the Theme Zone and the Demonstration Field. Programs at this year’s Korea Seed Expo will consist of business programs for international seed trade; new varieties presentation and academic events; and experience events such as harvesting sweet potatoes and tomatoes. For more details, please visit https://www.koreaseedexpo.com/English/
Euroseed Congress 2022
This year’s Euroseed 2022 Congress will be held in Berlin, Germany from 24 – 26 October. Following up on the successful introduction of their new program, the congress will start with a “Welcome Evening Reception” on Sunday, 23 October. Trade and exhibition and regular Section Meetings will start on Monday, 24 October, and run through the following 3 days until Wednesday early afternoon. This will provide all delegates with ample time for meetings and appointments. Exhibition booths will be offered solely to non-seed companies, who wish more visibility, and trade tables will be offered to seed companies taking part in the European seed trade meeting. Registration for the Euroseeds 2022 Congress is possible for Euroseed Members as well as non-Members. For more details on the Euroseed 2022 Congress, please visit https://euroseedscongress.com/
5th China International Import Expo (CIIE)
From the 5th to the 10 of November 2022, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and Shanghai Municipal People's Government will hold the 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE) at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, China.
The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is one of China’s first import-themed national-level exhibition which provides great opportunities for foreign enterprises to showcase their products and technology wishing to enter and/or expand their Chinese market. The expo will also feature a forum of relevant government authorities, international organizations, scientific research institutes and representatives of domestic and foreign enterprises, who will come to discuss various topics such as new situations, new technology, new achievements and new equipment of the seed industry field, the establishment of an innovation system of the seed industry from a multi-dimension angle, build a business dialogue platform, advocate the intellectual property protection and focus on the innovative development demands of the seed industry.
If you are interested in joining this event, please visit the official event page for more details on registration (https://www.ciie.org/zbh/index.html)
If you have any questions regarding upcoming APSA events, or if there is anything else I can assist you with please do not hesitate to contact me.
Mike Kingapayom
APSA Event Manager
Welcome to Technical Affairs update. The same as before, let’s start with the APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium.
We are happy to remind you that the registration for 2022 APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium（CLICK HERE to learn more about the consortium benefits）is on-going, please CLICK HERE to register.
A special project entitled “Growing new markets with better bitter gourd genetics: WorldVeg's monoecious, gynoecious and predominantly female lines of different market segments developed through recurrent selection to breed breakthrough hybrids” will be launched under the APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium with outputs on monoecious and gynoecious, predominantly female lines, promising F1 hybrids, and 3 significant biotech outputs including molecular markers associated with QTLs conferring resistance to Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), cucurbit powdery mildew, and gynoecy trait. The details of the project will be found by the link here
Registration is ongoing and will close on October 31st. Only active members of the 2023 APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium are eligible to participate in this project. As we are almost reaching the maximum number of participating companies and the participating list will be fixed on a first come, first serve basis, if you are interested in this project, please hurry up and register asap.
If you have any problem or need help from APSA Secretariat, pls contact APSA Partnership Program Manager Ms. Xiaofeng Li at xiaofeng@apsaseed.org
Ms. Xiaofeng Li
APSA Partnership Program Manager
Starting with an update from our Standing Committee on Seed Technology:
The committee met on September 15 and warmly welcomed as a new member Mr Kun Hao from China National Seed Trade Association (CNSTA). Mr Hao is a Senior Agronomist and has over 34 years of experience in the seed industry. He currently is the Head of Rice Production & Supply Chain, Syngenta Group China. Mr Hao is very happy to join the committee and hopes to contribute to the committee, with his expertise in seed technology for field crops. Besides, the committee also brainstormed on the upcoming Seed Technology Technical Session on November 17 and preparations for their techno demo session on November 16th. They also were updated on progress with the Recognition Award for the most influential seed technologist in APAC region; the nomination period for this concluded on September 30. Lastly, the APSA Seed Academy pilot learning platform on the APSA Cucurbinars TGIF is working well as a learning management platform to access past Cucurbinars webinar series. Stay tuned for more updates.
Next let us move to an update from the Standing Committee on International Trade & Quarantine
The committee did not meet this month, but they are still active via email communications. This month committee members shared the draft of Regional Implementation Guidance from the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC), which provides overarching guidance for the APPPC member countries on how to implement ISPM 38 (International movement of seeds). Committee members can share comments by September 30th. Besides, the committee received an update regarding the Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry Memorandum in continuation with the interim agreement in April with the Philippine Seed Industry Association. The update is that “Seeds that are vacuum packed, in airtight containers, tin cans and canisters that are pre-treated with any pesticide are allowed, provided such treatment must be started in the accompanying Phytosanitary Certificate.” More details in the regulatory affairs section of Q3 magazine linked below.
Let us move to an update from the Standing Committee on Intellectual Property Rights and Biodiversity
This month some of SC IPR & Biodiversity joined a few meetings, starting from the 2nd meeting of Working Group on Guidance concerning Smallholder Farmers in relation to private and non-commercial use (UPOV WG-SHF) on September 7. From September 19-24, APSA, the Federation of Seed Industry of India and the International Seed Federation represented the Asia-Pacific and international seed sectors at the 9th Session of Governing Body of the ‘International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture’ in Delhi India. One of the main focuses of the session and treaty itself was to recognize the rights of farmers and their role in ensuring genetic biodiversity and thus global food security. Find out more details about #GB9 via Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): https://bit.ly/3L7jsHo, and see story on page 21 of magazine linked below.
Next is the Special Interest Group for Field Crops:
The field crops committee did not have a committee meeting this month, but have been very active in email communications re. preparations of APSA Field Crops Webinar session 3 to be held on October 19 as Mike mentioned. Stay tuned for the two outstanding speakers on the theme of Yield Enhancement Technology in Field Crops!
And now to SIG on Vegetables and Ornamentals:
September is an exciting month for SIG V&O which co-organized the “Exploring Seed Industry in the Netherlands” Study Tour with Plantum from September 26 – 30. During this five-day trip, delegates visited some of the top seed companies in the world, as well as some local companies, including plant raisers, a flower auction and leading institutes like Naktuinbouw and Wageningen University, in addition to two well-known events (Floriade and Seed Meets Technology) and the national seed association, Plantum, represented by Mr. Neils Louwaars, Secretary General of Plantum.
The program could not be possible without great support from Mr. Niels Louwaars of Plantum, Mr. Jack Metzelaar (our SIG V&O committee member) and all participating companies, including Bejo, Hazera Seeds B.V., Seed Processing Holland, Enza Zaden, Beekenkamp, Rijk Zwaan, Axia, Key Gene and Solynta. Special appreciation to Mr Gijs Theunissen DVM, Agricultural Counsellor for Thailand, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Mr Michiel van Erkel (Agriculture Counsellor for India and Sri Lanka, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) on your great support of visa process to our Thai and Indian delegates. More details next month.
Moving to updates from the SIG on Vegetables and Ornamentals subgroups, The Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies or WIC, the R&D advisory committee and the Disease Resistance Terminology Working Group or DRT
Starting with WIC updates:
WIC members have marked their calendars for their physical meeting taking place a day before the start of the Asian Seed Congress in Bangkok, or on November 13. The half day meeting agenda has been shared and the committee is preparing accordingly.
Next is an update from the R&D Advisory Group
The R&D AG group is always very active in their monthly meetings to ensure the smoothness of all ongoing activities. This month the group had a successful event on the APSA Cucurbinars 2022 – Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF) Session 3 on Cucumber, which was organized on September 30. The session started with committee member, Dr G. Radhakrishnan welcoming everyone as moderator of the webinar. This was followed by videos promotion of new variety releases from participating companies. Then the first speaker, Dr Sri Hendrastuti Hidayat presented on the Occurrence and status of seedborne viruses infecting cucurbit in Indonesia. The second speaker, Dr Tusar K Behera presented on the Breeding for climate resilient cucumber. The last presentation was on the “Genetic basis of downy mildew resistances in cucumber” presented by Dr. Yiqun Weng.
The Cucurbinars participants can now access and download the past webinar recordings, presentations and Q&A through APSA Seed Academy-Disprz Platform. After completing the video presentation and a short survey, a certificate of attendance will be granted automatically through the system. As Mike mentioned, stay tuned for the Cucurbinars TGIF Session 4 on other pumpkin and squash to be held on October 21.
Last but not least is an update from Disease Resistance Terminology Working Group or DRT WG, members of the DRT Watermelon Fusarium Wilt subgroup had a meeting on September 6 to update members on seed sample requests from USDA and GEVES. General protocols were shared to members. Discussion on seed multiplication in Thailand were made including to clarify with all members on the importance of race 0,1 and 2 in each country’s market and fusarium isolates. As for the Bitter Gourd Powdery Mildew subgroup, the number of companies joining this project was revised in the application to the Indian National Biodiversity Authority (NBA). Members are entering to the signing original documents process.
This is all for now for SC/SIG updates. All minutes of SIG/SC meetings can be viewed by APSA members by logging in APSA website and go to member area. Thank you very much and stay tuned for more updates next month. Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Kunaporn Phuntunil
APSA Technical Coordination Manager
Kunaporn Phuntunil
APSA Technical Coordination Manager
As part of APSA’s digitalization and digitization strategy, in 2022 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.
We are pleased to announce our 2022 Digital Media Sponsorship Rates and Media Kit:
Don’t hesitate, INQUIRE NOW!
Email: (komsak@apsaseed.org) or Mike (mike@apsaseed.org)
Asian Seed magazine Vol. 28 No.3 (Quarter 3, July - September 2022)
Password: None
The theme of this issue is “Enabling Environment” which refers to the various factors involved in enabling farmers have access to quality seeds and thus grow the food needed to address the looming regional and global food security crisis. The magazine includes coverage of a recent workshop on this theme that was co-organized by APSA, the World Benchmarking Alliance and International Seed Federation. There is also coverage of other recent events and public-private partnership initiatives between APSA and its partners and industry stakeholders. These include the Mekong-US Partnership workshop on strengthening sustainable seed systems in Lower Mekong countries; the 8th Expert Phytosanitary Consultation, which was held in Bangkok in August and attended by officers from regional and international National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) as well as National Seed Associations (NSAs). Furthermore, there are contributions from the International Seed Federation related to the recent GB9 in Delhi India; upcoming World Food Day; a feature from Seed World about the South American seed industry; and insights on the international seed trade contributed by IHIS Markit of S&P Global. The issue also has regulatory affairs updates from New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, and information about the upcoming Asian Seed Congress in Bangkok Thailand, including an interview with the director of Thailand’s National Omics Center.
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