United States

Department of

Agriculture

Foreign

Agricultural

Service

Circular Series

FFVS 5-98

May 1998

July 1997-March 1998 Highlights

General Trade Summary

U.S. planting seed exports during July 1997-March

1998 totaled 692,355 metric tons valued at $742.7

million, a decrease of 23 percent in volume but an

increase of 1 percent in value over the same period

in 1996/97. Imports for the period totaled 142,687

tons (about 4 percent above a year ago) valued at

$262.5 million (10 percent above last year).

Attache Reports

Following are excerpts from U.S. Agricultural

Attache reports recently received in

FAS/Washington. Copies of the complete reports

may be obtained by contacting the Cotton, Oilseeds,

Tobacco, and Seeds Division at the address, the

telephone or Fax number listed on the back cover, or

the FAS homepage at www.fas.usda.gov.

Denmark (Report number NZ8004): Denmark

produces about 40 percent of European Union (EU)

grass seed and exports about 90 percent of its

production -- 91 percent of it to Germany and other

EU member countries. Targeted exports to non-EU

countries are limited. Although new outlets are

emerging in Turkey and Poland, exports increased

substantially to the United States and Canada which

now represent the largest third-country markets.

Danish grass seed output in 1997 suffered from

unfavorable weather conditions, and only increased

by 1.5 percent compared to the relatively low 1996

production, and in contrast to an increase in 3.8

percent in acreage.

As a result of record-high prices, growers are

forecast to increase 1998 acreage by almost 10,000

hectares or by 16 percent.

The EU's Common Agricultural Program (CAP)

reform legislation has had the effect of making grass

seed production relatively more attractive vis-a-vis

other domestic cropping alternatives in Denmark. 

Relatively higher Danish grass seed yields and a

reference period for EU CAP reform supports

favorable to Danish grass seed producers also made

Danish grass seed production more competitive

against other EU producers.

Brazil (Report number BR8609): The most

important developments affecting the current

situation and outlook for Brazilian planting seed

imports are: 1) changes in Brazil's Seed Law; 2) 

the gradual implementation of the Cultivar Law

(intellectual property legislation); 3) a growing

emphasis on improving yields in most crop sectors;

and, 4) in the case of vegetable and other

horticultural seeds, demand for high quality seeds

but a lack of production of such seeds in Brazil.

Forage seed opportunities are being influenced by

the livestock sector where there is a growing

emphasis on increasing weight gain while

simultaneously lowering the slaughter age of steers.

Brazil continues to periodically implement new

phytosanitary requirements on a variety of crops as

part of harmonization of requirements and

standards within MERCOSUL. These new

certification requirements often impact the market

for seeds of these crops. The long-term prospects

for products developed through biotechnology

remain positive, though the development of a

regulatory framework will inhibit access to such

products in the short-term.

The largest current problem associated with U.S.

seed exports to Brazil is the issue of third country

seed re-exported from the United States following

further processing, testing, certifying, and other

treatment. For re-exported seed from third 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

1400 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, SW

STOP 1004

WASHINGTON, DC 20250-1004

For questions concerning your subscription or change of address,

PRINT OR TYPE the new address, including ZIP code and return

this sheet to:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER

SPRINGFIELD, VA 22161

For questions or concerns on the data included in this publication,

contact us at the address shown above.

For Further 

Information Contact:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Foreign Agricultural Service

Cotton, Oilseeds, Tobacco and Seeds Division

1400 Independence Avenue S.W.

STOP 1051

Washington, D.C. 20250-1051

Telephone: 202-720-9491

FAX: 202-690-1171

e-mail: coonrod@fas.usda.gov

Larry Blum Director

Elizabeth Callanan Deputy Director/Marketing

Frank Coolidge Deputy Director/Analysis

Loyd G. Coonrod Seed Marketing and Analysis

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,

color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or familial status. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal

employment opportunity employer.

countries, Brazilian plant health regulations require

that the documentation include the original

phytosanitary certificates from the original country

of origin as well as the re-export certificate from the

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS). The re-export certificate alone is not

adequate and local industry contacts report that

shipments have been held up because of this

certification problem.

 

Local industry contacts are also concerned that the

costs of new approval procedures, reportedly due to

MERCOSUL harmonization, are excessive. 

According to these contacts, Brazil is requiring Pest

Risk Assessments (PRA’s) for each species from

every country of origin. Many of these companies

are multi-national in scope, grow seeds in many

different countries for off-season production, and 

feel that the Brazilian requirements do not account

for the level of quality control exerted by the

companies themselves.

On April 25, 1997, the Plant Variety Bill became

Law No. 9456 and was published in the "Diario

Oficial, on April 28, 1997, basically as described in

BR7612. The first part of implementing legislation

for the Cultivar Law was published on November 6,

1997, as Decree 2,366 of November 5, 1997. The

Decree covers cotton, rice, potato, dry beans, corn,

soybeans, sorghum, and wheat. Protection will be

expanded to other crops gradually over time as

provided for in the original Law. The competent

authority for the protection of cultivars is the

National Service of Cultivar Protection (Serviço

Nacional de Proteçao de Cultivares SNPC). 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

1400 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, SW

STOP 1004

WASHINGTON, DC 20250-1004

For questions concerning your subscription or change of address,

PRINT OR TYPE the new address, including ZIP code and return

this sheet to:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER

SPRINGFIELD, VA 22161

For questions or concerns on the data included in this publication,

contact us at the address shown above.

For Further 

Information Contact:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Foreign Agricultural Service

Cotton, Oilseeds, Tobacco and Seeds Division

1400 Independence Avenue S.W.

STOP 1051

Washington, D.C. 20250-1051

Telephone: 202-720-9491

FAX: 202-690-1171

e-mail: coonrod@fas.usda.gov

Larry Blum Director

Elizabeth Callanan Deputy Director/Marketing

Frank Coolidge Deputy Director/Analysis

Loyd G. Coonrod Seed Marketing and Analysis

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,

color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or familial status. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal

employment opportunity employer.