KSVS to Host the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA) at Incheon in Korea

KSVS to Host the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA) at Incheon in Korea

Published: 2015.12.02
Accepted: 2015.12.02
49
Professor
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agricultural and Life Science, Seoul National University

On November 24th, 2015, the Korea Seed & Variety Service (KSVS) announced that it will host the 2016 Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA) at Incheon in Korea. KSVS participated in the General Assembly of the 2015 Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA) held at Goa in India from November 16th to 20th, 2015, in order to expand export of Korean seeds through international market entry of the Korean seed industry. On November 20th, the KSVS signed a contract to host the General Assembly of the 2016 APSA at Incheon in Korea while participating in the 2015 APSA in Goa, India. The Asia & Pacific Seed Association was established in 1994 under the purpose of producing fine seeds and promoting seed trade in the Asia & Pacific Region. There are 590 members from 47 countries, including 19 Korean seed companies.

The General Assembly of APSA is one of the biggest international events in Asia which focuses on the vegetable seed industry. The said event  aims to support export of Korean seeds and enhance brand awareness of Korean seeds and securing export competitiveness of the Korean seed industry by hosting the 2016 APSA in Korea. It is expected that there will be 1,200 participants from 47 countries from North America and Europe as well as Asia. By operating display booths and export consultation tables, the event will be a venue for practical seed sales with activities like contract signing, exploring new business partners, and selecting consigned seed growers.

The Korean government expects to show the excellence of Korean infrastructure in the domestic seed industry and contribute to export expansion by promoting newly developed seeds by Korean technology through this event.

For this year’s assembly in Goa, India, there were 13 Korean seed growers participating in the event to discuss exports and contracts with 1,000 foreign buyers from 50 countries. The KSVS actively conducted preparation check and promotion activities to host next year’s assembly in Incheon, Korea, along with Korean seed growers who participated in the event and the event’s secretariat at this year’s assembly. The KSVS also mentioned that the organization plans to strengthen cooperation systems between the Korean government and the industry through discussions regarding  information exchange on the industry trends in the international seed markets as well as identify the industry’s various problems and their possible solutions..

The KSVS and the Korean Seed Association have established cooperation systems with related organizations including Incheon Metropolitan City, the Korea Tourism Organization and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), in order to successfully host the 2016 APSA in Incheon, Korea. Both organizations plan to carry out their promotion events through related events of the seed industry home and abroad, including the China Seed Expo in Guangdong. They will exert efforts to host the 2016 APSA and promote it as one of the biggest events in the industry.

The KSVS said that the organization is expected to contribute to the accomplishment of ‘USD 200-Million Export’ of seeds under the Foster Plan for the 2020 Seed Industry by utilizing the 2016 APAS in Korea as a venue where the country can promote the excellence of Korean seeds to all the international stakeholders of the seed industry.

 

Date submitted: Nov. 30, 2015

Reviewed, edited and uploaded: Dec. 2, 2015

 

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