One of the activities of the International Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, known as the OECD, is to ensure the production of consistently high quality seeds. The OECD Seed Schemes have been set up to achieve this objective. Seed schemes encourage the production and use of high quality seed that is guaranteed as to its origin.
The OECD Seed Schemes for the Certification of Varietal Seed and International Trade in Seed were established in 1958 and currently have 61 member countries. There are eight schemes in total, each defined according to a group of plant species:
- Grasses and legumes
- Cruciferous and other oil or fibre plant species
- Cereals
- Maize
- Sorghum
- Fodder beet and sugar beet
- Underground clover and similar species
- Vegetables
Latvia participates in two OECD Seed Schemes:
- Grasses and Legumes
- Cereals
Latvia joined both OECD Seed Schemes in November 2001.
Participation in the OECD Seed Schemes contributes to increasing the competitiveness of seeds on the international market by facilitating seed exports to non-EU countries.
For more information on the OECD Seed Schemes, please visit the OECD website.