In a three day meeting ending 1 June in Santiago, about 1,000 delegates at the International Seed Federation's World Congressare discussing genetically modified seed development, traceability and trading restrictions. The International Seed Federation (ISF) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation representing the seed industry.
"We will also continue our important discussions on intellectual property, access to plant genetic resources and trading restrictions due to phytosanitary barriers," said theorganisation's president, Selwyn Manning, in a statement. "Harmonisation of seed treatment regulations, the public and private seed research relationship and traceability will also be issues."
The Food and Agriculture organisation currently runs a global programme on improving the quality of seed varieties as a means of increasing crop and tree production.