The Curtain raiser programme for 32nd ISTA Congress-2019 was held at Radisson Blu, Atria on Palace Road, Bengaluru on December 06, 2018 by Government of Karnataka in collaboration with Government of Telangana and Indo-American Hybrids Seeds Company to promote large number of participation from Karnataka State.
The curtain raiser programme was held as a promotional activity for 32nd ISTA Congress which is going to be held in Hyderabad for the first time in Asian continent in the ISTA’s 94 years of history, the Govt. of Telangana is hosting the Congress in collaboration with International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and with support Govt. of India from June 26 to July 03, 2019.
The ISTA Congress comprises of Seed Symposium, Technical and Annual meetings of ISTA with a theme “Seed Technology and Quality in a Changing World”. The event is expected to bring together more than 800 global seed experts from around 80 countries including policy makers, scientists, seed analysts, technologists, researchers from international organizations, universities, research institutes, public and private seed industry to discuss all the aspects of seed quality and testing.
Hence, the curtain raiser for above congress was organised in Bengaluru to promote participation of both public and private seed industry from Karnataka.
N. H. Shivashankar Reddy, Honorable Agriculture Minister, Government of Karnataka inaugurated the programme and appreciated the Government of Telangana for bringing 32nd ISTA Congress to India, which will help to strengthen the seed research, education, seed industry and quality regulation system in the country. Which would also help in exploring seed export potential of our country especially in potential States like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, thereby improves the seed supply system of the country.
The representatives from the Government of Telangana Shri. C. Parthasarathi, APC & Principal Secretary to Government (Agriculture and Co-operation) and Dr. Keshavulu, Director and Managing Director, Telangana State Seed & Organic Certification Authority and Telangana State Seeds Development Corporation and the Nodal officer for ISTA Congress 2019 were highlighted on the ISTA, Indian seed sector, Karnataka and Telangana seed sector and also detailed on plan of action for ISTA Congress.
They also invited all the stakeholders who have attended the programme to participate in the programme in large number to make the congress a grand success.
Maheshwar Rao, IAS, Secretary to Govt. (Agriculture), Govt. of Karnataka, Jagadeesh, Commissioner, Agriculture & Horticulture Department, Government of Karnataka, Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad, Vice Chancellor, UAS Bangalore and Mr. Arthur Santosh Attavar, CMD, Indo-American Hybrids Seeds (India) Pvt. Ltd were present in the programme.
In addition, Mr.Y.S.Patil, Director of Horticulture, Mr. B.Y.Srinivas, Director of Agriculture, Dr. M.B.Chetti,Vice Chancellor, UAS, Dharwad, Dr. Kattimani, Vice Chancellor, UAS, Raichur, Dr. Indiresh, Vice Chancellor, UHS, Bagalkot, Dr. Manjunath Naik, Vice Chancellor, UAS, Shimoga were also attended the programme. About 150 participants from both public and private seed organizations of Karnataka State were took part in the programme.
