Regulations on management of quality of plant varieties in Vietnam

The management of quality of plant varieties is regulated in the Law on Crop Production 2018 and related regulations with the following basic contents:

General requirements concerning management of quality of plant varieties in Vietnam

- The tasks of management of quality of plant varieties shall include the management of quality of plant variety and the management of quality of propagating materials under the provisions of this Law and legislation on the quality of products and commodities.

- The quality of plant varieties shall be managed in accordance with national standards or local standards applied to specific plant species as provided in point c of clause 1 of Article 15 and point b of clause 1 of Article 17 of the Law on Crop Production 2018.

- The quality of propagating materials shall be managed as follows:

= Materials intended for propagating varieties of plants belonging to the major plant species are group-2 products and commodities prescribed by legislation on the quality of products and commodities. The quality of materials intended for propagating varieties of major plants shall be managed based on national technical regulations on the quality of crop propagating materials and standards declared to be applied by producers or importers;

= Materials intended for propagating varieties of plants not belonging to the major plant species are group-1 products and commodities prescribed by legislation on the quality of products and commodities. The quality of materials intended for propagating varieties of plants not belonging to the major plant species shall be managed based on standards regarding the quality of crop propagating materials declared to be applied by organizations and individuals.

Legal basis: Article 25 of the Law on Crop Production 2018

Regulations on management of quality of plant varieties in Vietnam (Internet image)

Evaluation of plant variety cultivation fields, sampling of propagating materials in Vietnam

(1) Evaluation of plant variety cultivation fields, sampling of propagating materials are prescribed in Article 26 of the Law on Crop Production 2018 as follows:

- The evaluation of plant variety cultivation fields shall be conducted during the period of production of plant varieties according to national standards on methods for evaluation of plant variety cultivation fields and by a person completing professional training in such evaluation.

- Sampling of propagating materials shall be carried out according to national standards regarding methods for sampling of plant varieties and by a person completing professional training in such sampling activity.

(2) Professional training on seed field inspection and sampling of plant propagation materials

According to Article 6 of Circular 26/2019/TT-BNNPTNT, persons in charge of field inspection and persons in charge of sampling of propagating materials shall be trained and issued with the certificate of training in field inspection/sampling of propagating materials (hereinafter referred to as “the Certificate”).

Training in field inspection and sampling of propagating materials shall focus on: regulations on management of quality of plant varieties; methods for field inspection method and sampling of propagating materials prescribed in TCVN; practice in field inspection and sampling of propagating materials.

The Department of Crop Production shall design and promulgate framework documents about training in field inspection and sampling of propagating materials; cooperate with organizations licensed to provide training in field inspection and sampling of propagating materials in providing training.

Organizations licensed to provide training in field inspection and sampling of propagating materials shall, according to framework documents promulgated by the Department of Crop Production, design detailed documents and provide training in field inspection and sampling of propagating materials, issue Certificate according to the Form in the Appendix IV of  Circular 26/2019/TT-BNNPTNTand send a list of Certificate holders to the Department of Crop Production 03 working days after the date of issue.

Labeling and advertising of plant varieties in Vietnam

Labeling and advertising of plant varieties is carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 27 of the Law on Crop Production 2018 as follows:

- Plant variety labeling and advertising shall be carried out under the provisions of this Law and legislation on commerce and advertisement.

- Information inscribed on labels and advertisements of plant varieties must be corresponding to those that have been provided in the application package for the decision on recognition of circulation of the plant variety and endorsed by competent authorities, or contents of self-declarations of circulation of the plant variety.

Mai Thanh Loi

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE