Obtaining accreditation from the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and the possibility of issuing an international seed certificate for the first time in the country
Head of Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute announced that Iran has joined the group of countries issuing ISTA certificates (International Seed Testing Association).
According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of the Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Dr. Mohammad Hassan Assareh pointed out that obtaining ISTA accreditation and issuing international certificates will enter the country into the global seed market and provide a platform for seed exports in the future.
After completing the systematic and technical inspection process, ISTA inspectors considered the Seed Quality Analysis Laboratory of the Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute to have the necessary standards for obtaining accreditation and submitted a proposal for granting accreditation to the ISTA accreditation committee.
Finally, the ISTA accreditation executive committee agreed to grant international ISTA accreditation to the Seed Quality Analysis Laboratory of the Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, which is now the only internationally accredited laboratory in Iran in the list of 146 prestigious ISTA laboratories worldwide. Iran has joined 63 countries with valid ISTA laboratories.
Dr. Assareh pointed out that among Iran's neighboring countries that have water or land border with the country, only three countries, Russia, Turkey, and Pakistan, have accreditation seed analysis laboratories. This accreditation has provided for the country's seed producers to initiate seed trade with other countries with certificates issued by the seed quality analysis laboratory of this institute.