THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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August 2026…
Teck Wah Koh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA), made an assessment following his visits and meetings in Türkiye…
Koh stated that Türkiye possesses the potential to host the ASC 2026 in the best possible way…
“Together with my fellow Office Bearers and the Executive Director of APSA, we had a very good trip to Türkiye last week, spending time in both Ankara and Antalya with one clear objective, that is to strengthen partnerships and to build momentum for the upcoming Asian Seed Congress (ASC) 2026.
In Ankara, we met with the Turkish Deputy Minister of Agriculture & Forestry, Mr. Ahmet Bağcı to share an update on ASC 2026 and to extend a formal invitation to him to attend. Our discussion reinforced how central seed is to food security, farmer resilience and sustainable productivity, especially as climate volatility and market uncertainty continue to reshape agriculture. We were encouraged by the openness to dialogue and the shared recognition that innovation in plant breeding, seed quality, and responsible stewardship will be critical for the years ahead.
From Ankara, we traveled to Antalya, where we had the honor of meeting the Governor of Antalya, Mr. Hulusi Şahin. We briefed the Governor on the purpose and scale of ASC 2026 and discussed how the Congress can generate value locally by bringing together global and regional leaders across the seed value chain, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, investment conversations and long-term collaboration. We also requested the Governor’s support to help ensure ASC 2026 is positioned as a successful, safe and impactful gathering for all participants.
A key part of the visit was also practical. We took time to visit and inspect the planned ASC 2026 venue, the Granada Luxury Belek. It was reassuring to confirm that the venue can support the scale and standards expected of ASC and it helped identify areas where early coordination will make execution even smoother.
We would like to recognize the outstanding progress already made behind the scenes. APSA is very happy with all the work done by the National Organizing Committee (NOC), which consists of members from our co-hosts, TURKTOB and TURKTED. Their professionalism, responsiveness and attention to detail are setting a strong foundation for ASC 2026, from stakeholder engagement and local coordination to venue planning and overall event readiness. It’s clear that the Congress is in capable hands and it was a pleasure to see the preparations advancing so effectively.
Finally, we would also like to express our sincere appreciation to the NOC for hosting us and making all the arrangements to ensure that we have an engaging and fruitful visit.”
