United States

Department of

Agriculture

Foreign

Agricultural

Service

Circular Series

FFVS 2-98

February 1998

July-December 1997 Highlights

July-December U.S. Planting Seed Exports by Region

Marketing Years 1988/89 Through 1997/98

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

COTSD/CMP/FAS/USDA

1988/89

1989/90

1990/91

1991/92

1992/93

1993/94

1994/95

1995/96

1996/97

1997/98

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Marketing Years

$ Millions

All other

Regions

Oceania

Middle

East

North

Africa

Other

Asia

South

America

European

Union

North

America

General Trade Summary

U.S. planting seed exports during JulyDecember 1997 totaled 453,799 metric tons

valued at $423.4 million, a decrease of 15

percent in volume but an increase of less than

1 percent in value over the same period in

1996. Imports for the period totaled 64,323

tons (1 percent below a year ago) valued at

$147.4 million (16 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, telephone or Fax

number listed on the back cover.

Russia (Report number RS8008): The domestic

seed market improved slightly in 1997 in comparison

to the previous 4 years. Some domestic companies,

in addition to the large western seed companies

working in Russia, have started to broaden their use

of hybrids in most grain and sunflowerseed

producing areas. Due to lengthy and strict seed

registration procedures, large international seed

companies have been the most successful seed

importers and producers. Private companies in

many oblasts have become more active in trading

seeds and represent a slowly growing force in the

seed trade sector. The scope of their operations is

still greatly overshadowed by state seed institutes,

laboratories and former state companies like

Exportkhleb (in the grain seed trade) or Rossiyskiye

Semena and SortSemovosh (in the vegetable seed

trade). These companies still actively work with the

Ministry of Agriculture on seed policy, and are at

least nominally independent from the Ministry. The

Russian seed market remains unfavorable for

individual independent foreign seed exporters. 

Foreign companies face a long 2-3 year seed

certification process and the inability to protect

patented genetic material.

Trade Inquiries

The following trade inquiries were recently

submitted by a U.S. agricultural office for

publication as a “Trade Lead.” For more

information about Trade Leads call 202-690-3416.

SEEDS FOR SOWING, FLOWER -

COLOMBIA: QUANTITY: 5 grams of every seed

variety (list below). QUALITY: Best available. 

DELIVERY: April 30, 1998. PACKAGING:

Standard. OTHER: Flower type; viola pirnaer,

viola schw. riesen, futterrube rot, and dianthus barb. 

QUOTE: F.O.B. Miami. BANK: Banco Central

Hipotecario-Barrio Restrepo, Bogota. 

CONTACT: Mr. William Fernando Ramirez,
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

Lynn Abbott 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 its programs on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, 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, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call 1-

800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Industria Marroquinera de Colombia, Calle 15 Sur 

No. 16-39, Piso 3-4, Bogota, Cundinamarca, 3

Colombia Phone: (571) 272-0571 FAX: (571) 366-

2957.

SEEDS FOR SOWING, TREE AND SHRUB -

COLOMBIA: Ornamental trees QUANTITY:

10,000 seeds of each variety (below list). 

QUALITY: Pine, araucaria, cheflera. DELIVERY:

Every 4 months. PACKAGING: Standard export

seed packaging. OTHER: Golden, book, lemon,

and Araucaria pines and scheflera. QUOTE: F.O.B.

Miami. BANK: Banco Central Hipotecario, Barrio

Restrepo office branch. CONTACT: Mr. William

Fernando Ramirez, Industria Marroquinera de

Colombia, Calle 15 Sur No. 16-39, Piso 3-4,

Bogota, Cundinamarca, 3 Colombia Phone: (571)

272-0571 FAX: (571) 366-2957.

SEEDS FOR SOWING, SORGHUM -

COLOMBIA: QUANTITY: 5 MT. QUALITY:

Good. DELIVERY: April 30, 1998. 

PACKAGING: Standard. OTHER: . QUOTE:

F.O.B. U.S. port. BANK: Las Villas-Corabastos,

Bogota. CONTACT: Miss Jeimmy Serrano,

Serrano, Calle 39A No. 92-20, Bogota, 1 Colombia

Phone: (571) 293-8920.

SEEDS FOR SOWING, GUAR -UNITED

ARAB EMIRATES: Botanical name cynopsis

tetragonoloba, variety manna ealagalactan. 

QUANTITY: 5,000 to 10,000 mt for 12 months. 

QUALITY: gum contents 78-84 percent, moisture 

11 percent max., protein content 3-5 percent, acid

residue 2-5 percent. DELIVERY: Monthly. 

PACKAGING: Cartons, standard export packing. 

OTHER: Labels in English. QUOTE: F.O.B. U.S.

ports and C&F Karachi, Pakistan. BANK: Habib

Bank AG Zurich P.O. Box 1166, Sharjah, U.A.E. 

CONTACT: Mr. F.K. Anklesaria, Goldsun

International Ltd., P.O. Box 19712, Sharjah, U.A.E

Phone: (9716) 725-450 FAX: (9716) 731-446.
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

Lynn Abbott 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 its programs on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, 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, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call 1-

800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.