1. Initiative on Role of Fertilizer and Seeds in Transforming of Agriculture in Asia
Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems in Asia
(ReSAKSS-Asia) Program
WORKSHOP
STUDY OF
SEED INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM
SIEM RIEP, 25-27 SEP 2013

2. Very important as agriculture plays vital role in national
economy of Vietnam
Planted area of rice in 2011: 7.6 mil ha; maize: 1.1 mil ha;
peanut: 0.22 mil ha…
in 2011: demand for rice seed is 1-1.2 mil tons, maize seed:
40 thous. tons, and potato seed 25 thous. tons (FAOSTAT,
2013)
Need improved seed (high yield and quality) as agri.land is
decreasing while population is increasing; and the price of
exported agri. product is lower than other countries.
 Vietnam is highly dependent on imported seed: 70-80% of
hybrid rice seed, vegetable seed, maize seed
1. Role of seed industry in Vietnam

3.  It is necessary to increase the productivity due to the need to
increase the production, but decrease in area
Need increase
in Productivity

4. 2. Use of improved seed by crop and varieties
Number of new crop varieties approvedNew varieties
1977-
2006
2007-2010 2010 2011 2012
Areas
under
improved
seed (%)
1. Rice 177 133 9 3 8 67
2. Maize 75 55 4 5 3 83
3. Potatoes 15 4 -
4. Soybean 31 6 2 68
5. Peanut 21 4 54.6
6. Tomatoes 22 4 -
7. Coffee (new lines) 17 -
8. Sugarcane 14 -
9. Rubber 17 98.3
10. Tea 10 2 20
11. Cashew nut 10 28.6
12. Fruits 27 -
13. Other 139 12 -
Total 575 216 - - - -

5. Fig 4. Planted areas by rice variety type (%)
19.6
13.2
2.4
9.0
6.3
3.8
45.6
1. Pure varieties created in Vietnam
2. Pure varieties imported from China
3. Pure varieties imported from IRRI
4. Other pure varieties
5. Hybrid varieties
6. Local varieties
7. Other varieties

6. Role of extension in promoting the use of
improved seed
The agri-extension systems: established in 1993
Nowadays: Almost all districts (95.5%) have extension
stations
Demonstration models: ~$7 mil in 2010 or 75% of budget
for agri-extention ($2.5 mil for crop models including 2093
models for hybrid rice; 3728 models for high quality rice;
Dissemination of Knowledge and Information: $1 mil in
2010 (agri. competitive festivals, agri. exhibition; mass
media through TV, Newspapers, journals…)
Training: $1.1 mil in 2010, with participation of 1 mil
farmers, 14.2 thousand extension staff to transfer the new
improved agri. technologies and varieties

7. 3. Seed management system
National level: MARD
 Crop Dept.
- Plant Variety Protection Office
- National Center for Plant Variety
Test and Certification
 Plant Protection Dept.
 Technology Dept.
 National center for Agri. Extension
Provincial level: DARD
 Crop Dept
 Extension center
 Plant Protection Dept.
District level
 Crop Dept
 Extension station
 Plant Protection station
• Formal system:
- Produce certified seeds with quality
standards
- Include (415 units: 243 seed
companies at national level; 129 seed
centers and companies at provincial
level; 43 research institutes and
universities..
• Information system
- Include farmers, farmers groups,
and cooperatives that produced seed.
- Small scale, spontaneous, and a
low level of organization

8. 4. R&D in seed
Vietnam has 18 seed research institutes, and 6 universities
to have seed research
Main methods of seed selection and creation: sexual
hybrid/ reproduction (traditional); Heterosis use; Seed
Importation and Selection; Biotechnology application.
Strength and weakness of R&D:
Limited fund for R&D
Limited human resource/staff for seed R&D
Weak linkage between seed research and seed
production system

9. 5. Development
and challenges
of seed
registration
systems

10. Table 5. Number of varieties tested for VCU and DUS in recent years
Northern
region
Middle
region
Southern
region
Total No. of expected
varieties
I. For Basic VCU test
1. Year 2008 411 132 227 770 164
2. Year 2009 346 154 252 752 106
3. Year 2010 364 277 293 936 171
4. Year 2011 411 152 129 692 150
5. Year 2012 495 272 412 1179 -
II. For DUS test
1. Year 2008 136 - 50 236 -
2. Year 2009 306 2 96 408 -
3. Year 2010 145 - 98 243 -
4. Year 2011 356 44 400 -
5. Year 2012 274 14 288 -
Challenges: Increasing no. of tested varieties; Limited no. and qualification of
human resources; Long duration for registration 2.5-3 years

11. 6. Role of multinational companies/collaboration in
developing seed industry
Project on Agricultural Sector Program Support with one component
focusing on seed industry funded by Denmark 2000-2007
Two projects funded by ADB on Tea Development Project and
Agricultural Diversification Project with the components on qualified
seed use support.
8 multinational companies running seed business in Vietnam:
Syngenta Vietnam (crop seeds), Bioseed Research (for hybrid maize
seed), CP Seed Company Ltd. (hybrid maize seed), East West Seed
(VN) Company LTD, Representative office of Monsanto Thailand,
Representative office Siminis Vegetabe Seeds, Nong Huu Seed
Company LTD, and Bayer Company.

12. 7. Marketing and Distribution: Key actors in the market-private
sector, seed industry association, public sector
Table 6. Number of key actors in seed marketing and distribution by region
Seed production/ business unitsRegion
Companies Crop variety
Center
Other Total
Seed
producing
Households
1. Northern Mountain 34 19 44 97 118
2. Red River Delta 52 12 3 67 358
3. North Central Coast 37 5 24 66 50
4. South Central Coast 41 11 11 63 174
5. Central Highland 14 9 1 24 136
6. East Southern region 56 6 3 65 197
7. Mekong River delta 6 14 13 33 720
Total 240 76 99 415 1753
(VSTA, 2010)

13. Seed marketing and distribution channels

14. Seed import and export
The annual import value of seed: around $200 mil.
Hybrid seed: annual import of 15000 tons (75%): $45
mil. (mainly from China)
 Hybrid Maize: 10000 tons (60%) or $40 mil. (mainly
from Thailand and India)
Vegetable seed: imported 80% or $100 mil. Mainly
from Thailand, China, Japan, Korea and French.
Export seed: very small or insignificantly

15. 8. Performance and Effectiveness of Regulatory Policies
Year Main Policy
5 Feb 1996 Decree No. 7/1996/ND-CP/ on the management of plant seeds
20 Apr 2001 Decree No. 13/2001/ND-CP on protection of new plant varieties
24 Mar 2004 Seed Ordinance No. 15/2004/PL-UBTVQH11
22 Nov 2004 Decision No. 66/2004/QD-BNN promulgating the regulation on
accreditation, management and supervision of agriculture crop seed
testing laboratories, samplers and field inspectors
26 Aug 2005 DECISION No. 212/2005/QD TTg promulgating the regulation on‐
management of biological safety of genetically modified organisms;
products and goods originating from genetically modified organisms
27 Nov 2007. Decision No. 95/2007/QD-BNN promulgating the Regulation on
recognition of new agricultural plant varieties
21 Jun 2010 Decree No. 69/20101ND-CP of June 21, 2010, on biosafety for
genetically modified organisms, genetic specimens and products of
genetically modified organisms
11 Sep 2012 Circular No. 44/2012/QD-BNN adjusting and supplementing the the list
of plant varieties permitted for production and trading

16. Effectiveness of seed policies
Seed registration system: well operated. During 2008-2012: 1575 DUS
tests and 4329 VCU tests were done. Many seed varieties were
registered.
MARD usually issued the circulars on the list of additional agricultural
plant varieties that can be produced and traded in Vietnam
MARD and provincial authorities organize the inspections of seeds in
the market.
The share of units that violated the requirements on labeling, quality,
trading conditions (storage facilities, etc.,.) were quite high (Ba Ria
Vung Tau province: 54%; Dak Nong: 100% unclear origin of cashew nut
seedlings; Quang Nam: 100% trading units did not have quality test
certificate of rice and maize seeds, and did not have seed storage
facilities as required).
The type of violated units were quite diversified: from big to small
companies, and more on individual companies. Warning, penalties,
public disclosures were main measures to deal with violated units.

17. 9. Key constraints affecting seed supply and use
Weak capacity in quality control and industry management especially
at provincial and district levels  A number of poor quality seed have
been sold in the market.
Weak capacity for seed testing and certification due to lack of high-
skill staffs and inadequate and out of date equipment
Lack of information system and information sharing between state
management agencies  the coordination, and cooperation between
these agencies are limited.
The capacity of seed industry is generally inadequate to meet domestic
demand on seed.
Lack of diversification: the seed industry has a long time focused
mainly on rice and maize seeds
Limited capacity in R&D, especially on basic research and plant
breeding
Limited production capacity and coverage of seed supply system

18. 10. Main implications for seed industry development in VN
Strengthen linkages between research, seed
production, and extension.
Strengthen the seed quality control and management
capacity of public institutions at the provincial and
district levels (staff, facilities…)
Build an information system and foster information
sharing between state management agencies in seed
testing and certification
Promote the collaboration between formal and
informal seed supply system and facilitate the
establishment of efficient seed distribution system.
Continue to improve the regulatory documents/
policies on seed managements

19. Thank you
for your attention !