TRADE IN N.Z. SEEDS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31339, 8 April 1967, Page 10

TRADE IN N.Z. SEEDS

VEW ZEALAND’S Interests in determining conditions under which certified seeds can be produced and distributed in international trade are to be represented at a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (0.E.C.D.) in Paris this month by Dr. L. Corkill, Director of the Grasslands Division of the Department

of Scientific and Industrial Research, Palmerston North. Dr. Corkill was formerly director of the Crop Research Division at Lincoln. New Zealand was admitted as a member at the annual meeting of O.E.C.D. in 1966. Thia international organisation operates a scheme for varietal certification of herbage seed. Grasslands Division is responsible in New Zealand for the production of nucleus stocks <ff seed, the multiplication of which by accredited

farmers for the production of Government stock seed is administered by the Department of Agriculture. The department examines farmers’ commercial seed crops entered for certification, and samples for certification are tested at the seed-testing station, Palmerston North.

While in France Dr. Corkill will visit the accredited agents who will be running the tests on New Zealandbred seeds that are a prerequisite to their registration in France for commercial distribution. “In the early days of testing New Zealand’s seed varieties, a visit by a technical expert such as Dr. Corkill is essential to study French pastures and their requirements,” reports Dr. R. C. Hampton, commercial counsellor at the New Zealand Embassy in Paris. The possibilities of registering New Zealand seed varieties in Belgium, Holland, and Germany will also be discussed In those countries by Dr. Coikill during his

eight weeks in Europe and the United Kingdom. He will also visit grassland research institutions at Hurley, Cambridge, Aberystwyth, Dublin, and Fermoy.

“New Zealand has a high reputation for the quality and productivity of its pastures, and Dr. Coikill has been for many years closely associated with the breeding and varietal improvement, research, and development work that has done so much to establish New Zealand’s standing as a leading grassland fanning country,” said Dr. W. M. Hamilton, DirectorGeneral of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

“It is important that our capacity for, and efficiency in, seed production should be developed to take advantage of export opportunities, and Dr. Corkill’s attendance at this important international meeting will ensure capable presentation of New Zealand’s views on conditions for participation in international trade in certified seeds.”