Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 8426 / SEEDWORLD.COM JANUARY 2017 INTERNATIONALAGRICULTURALDEVELOPMENT Importing: A Vegetable Seed Dilemma VEGETABLE SEED PRODUCTION in lesser- developed countries yields tough challenges and is often viewed as an untenable risk. Yet, there’s a local need and desire for high-quality seed. Local, regional and national companies striving to kick-start and develop their seed industries hardly can be faulted, as they may simply lack the general capacity to take on such challenges. Nor should multinationals be faulted for being profit-driven. In many cases, they already have a portfolio of varieties that, if imported in specific regions, meet local needs. As countries around the world aim to transform their seed industries, many look to the United States — not to mimic, but as a means to gain a richer perspective. Privatization within the U.S. has long been viewed as positive. Robust competition has generated a panorama of options for farmers and consumers and opportunities to make profits for the broad array of companies comprising the seed industry. The U.S. experience, past and future, will likely have great rel- evance as others struggle to develop, attain functional- ity and ultimately trend toward maturity. Agricultural development can be a messy process, and one size does not fit all. Many small companies grapple with the decision of being a reseller of seed imported by others or being a seed importer. Viewing direct importation as a means of building a more viable seed business and garnering greater profits sounds great, but getting there can be an uphill battle. Resellers often feel that varieties available through importers might not best serve their farmers. They cite susceptibility to specific diseases or insects and poor adaptability to local environments. Also of concern are the lack of maturity offerings, timely availability of seed during the selling season and pricing. Yet, the value of an established and reputable seed importer should not be discounted. Importers provide a suite of services beyond that of the seed itself. Existing importers have overcome a number of hurdles that often prove to be most difficult for aspiring importers. Small companies might have many reasons for wanting to become a direct seed importer. It might be to gain more day-to-day control of their business, or to retain a larger portion of farmer seed sales revenue or the opportunity to supply other resellers. I caution companies to not overlook five seemingly innocuous challenges that could result in failure: The import license process; integrity and business acumen of their representatives; language fluency among all parties; capability of those sourcing seed for importa- tion; and functionality of the communications channel. Finding representatives or partners that have capability, integrity and business acumen may well be the easiest part. Dealing with and managing the bureaucracy, language challenges and communication channels may be among the most difficult. Don’t underestimate the degree of difficulty required to identify, prioritize and accomplish impor- tant tasks; the magnitude and intensity of time required of key personnel to accomplish critical tasks in a timely manner; and the monetary cost, including “cost of lost opportunities.” Becoming an importer may be a means, but certainly is not an end, to building a vibrant business. Newly designated importers must capitalize on their ability to offer direct imported seed to farmers while continuing to build their core business. SW DENNIS THOMPSON is dedicated to delivering solutions and empowering people and organiza- tions to solve complex problems related to international agricul- tural development and global food security. His career experience and international credentials include Extension education, agronomy and admin- istration. Small companies can have many reasons for wanting to become a direct vegetable seed importer.