President Wang Zhiping of the Asia & Pacific Seed Association delivers his congratulatory remarks during the opening ceremony of the Asian Seed Congress 2016, in Incheon on Nov. 8.
The Asia Seed Congress 2016 is being held at the Songdo Covensia convention center in Incheon from Nov. 7 to 11. This international gathering, part of the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA), is being hosted this year by the Korea Seed & Variety Service and the Korean Seed Association.
Participants will discuss the latest trends in the global seed industry, current issues facing individual crops. Approximately 1,500 seed buyers from 48 countries from across Asia, Europe and the Americas are also attending the conference.
During the five-day gathering, participants will substantially engage in the large-scale trade of seeds, including seed import and export consultations, signing contracts, searching for new trade partners and selecting seed-gathering venues. The congress will also run 60 seed display booths and 240 consultation booths for trade consultations.
Regarding the conference, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Kim Jae-soo emphasized the role of the APSA, saying, “The APSA plays a crucial role as a regional cooperation body to jointly solve current challenges facing the agriculture industry, such as climate change, through seed development, the source of all farming produce and the basic element to securing food resources.”
The plants from various seeds, such as radishes, cabbage and carrots, are on display at 60 booths that are adjacent to the conference venue.
About 1,500 buyers from 48 countries engage in consultations concerning the seed trade. The trade consultations are provided for buyers on the sidelines of the conference.
The Korean government is aiming to use the conference as an opportunity to explore seed markets and to facilitate seed exports by introducing its excellence in developing new strains of seeds through the Golden Seed Project, and its human and physical infrastructure concerning the seed industry.
In this regard, Director General Oh Byeongseok of the Korea Seed and Variety Service said, “This latest Asia Seed Congress 2016 will provide an opportunity for us to specialize and develop the Asian market in a rapidly changing seed market where global farming organizations engage in takeovers.”
Director General Oh also said, “It seems that our excellence in Korean seeds is expected to be widely known all around the world, which will lead to Korea’s seed exports jumping more than 20 percent this year.”
Participants in the Asia Seed Congress 2016 look around the booths for seeds trade and export.
Members of the APSA and the Korean Seed Association pose for a group photo on Nov. 8 during the opening ceremony of the Asia Seed Congress 2016.
By Wi Tack-whan, Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer
whan23@korea.kr
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