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TSIPS’s testing service helps the last push to reach the goal of seed export

(2020, Feb. 05)

TSIPS’s testing service helps the last push

 to reach the goal of seed export

The important agricultural exports of Taiwan are not merely crops but seeds. According to statistics from the International Seed Federation, Taiwan’s seed export ranks the 22nd in the world. In the face of fierce competition of the international seed market, the global profit from seed trade is getting harder and harder, which makes Taiwan’s seed companies needed to make many efforts for getting an order. Owing to their long term hard-work, Taiwan's vegetable seed export has increased yearly. According to the statistics of the C.O.A (https://agrstat.coa.gov.tw/), the value of Taiwan's import and export seed is about 240 million US dollars in 2019.

Recently, the countries around the globe have been highly aware of protecting their own agricultural environment. Therefore the international phytosanitary regulations of seed trade are getting stringent. When companies are intending to export seeds to other countries, they will often be asked to provide phytosanitary certificates notified without specific pathogens. In order to assist the seed companies for their export demand, the TAF-accredited laboratory of Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station (TSIPS) has been commissioned by the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, C.O.A. since 2013 to conduct the specific pathogen detection of exporting seeds. The laboratory provides the testing service followed by the ISO 17025 rule to meet international standards. According to the statistics from the testing lab of TSIPS, the number of test cases has increased by nearly 50% each year in the past three years, especially in the pathogen detection of the Cucurbitaceae, Cruciferae and Solanaceae seeds. Hence the detection scope of plant pathogens has been expanded from the original 5 to 18 including Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Cruciferae, and Leguminosae.

Due to seed production and crop planting have to follow their season calendars, the export schedules are often very tight to keep crop plantings in importing countries on time. TSIPS would like to remind the applicants who have the demand for exporting of Cucurbitaceae seeds, based on the BAPHIQ issued method that the detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli in Cucurbitaceae seeds will take 8 weeks. Please plan the phytosanitary detection as early as possible in peak season to meet the trade demand.

 

  • Contact: Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station, Lin Ju-Ling
    Telephone: (04)25825537
    E-mail: jllin@tss.gov.tw
  • Contac: Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station, Chung Wen-Chuan
    Telephone: (04)25825402
    E-mail: wcchung@tss.gov.tw

Seedling grow-out for detection of Bacterial fruit blotch in cucurbit seed
Fig1. Seedling grow-out for detection of Bacterial fruit blotch in cucurbit seed

Staff in TAF lab operating an ELISA test
Fig2.  Staff in TAF lab operating an ELISA test