b'Besides this, we also send a weekly report of each field with all the information and pictures, explained de la Sotta. Last season, we had started a pilot project and this season we are also running all of our fields with a satellite monitoring platform. In this way our farmers, field staff and customers can check by themselves the vigor index of each field during all seasons, all developmental stages, etc. We have also improved our information system in order to give our customers full transparency and the most updated information.Timely PaperworkMario Schindler, executive director of ANPROS, stresses that as COVID-19 has delayed logisticsGro Alliance offers a joint venture in Chile called CIS Alliance in tandem with CIS all over the world, as an association, ANPROS hasSemillas.been stressing that everything must be done more in advance than usual. Sending the seed as soon as possible toOur field and site operations required some Chile is one of the main challenges, as well as allextra resources and adjustments, but overall, we the planning must be done, Schindler says. Wewere able to keep lead times and efficiencies, have been working with our authorities in order toreports Yuri Charme, Bayers head of product implement different actions for speeding up everysupply for Latin American Vegetables, seeds andIntense and process regarding seed movement, such as a jointChile row crops. It was absolutely key to empowersystematic working group ANPROS-SAG (SAG is the Chileanpeople to look for creative solutions and make fast Ministry of Agriculture) thats monitoring everydecisions to adapt to new situations. coordination in single potential problem. ANPROS and ANPROS- Some challenges in phytosanitary or customs SAG is in constant communication with customs,clearance and air cargo availability delayed somethe whole internal for example. business operations during the first few weeks ofand external ANPROS sent inquiries to the governmentthe pandemic, but Charme says regulators, part-regarding travel restrictions and how the seedners and vendors adapted quickly.supply chain, more community can deal with these, working onA very important tool in this arena has beenthan usual, was making it possible for required personnel tothe digitalization of processes, documents and enter the country. ANPROS is also collaborat- authorizations, something that will remain withfundamental. This ing with the authorities to digitize the paperworkus, he says. Besides [all this], Id say intense andallowed anticipation related to seed movement for seed certificationsystematic coordination in the whole internal and phytosanitary certification. Chile already hasand external supply chain, more than usual, wasof potential scenarios the e-Phyto (electronic phytosanitary certificate)fundamental. This allowed anticipation of potential system in place with the U.S., Argentina, EU coun- scenarios so that we were ready to apply actionso that we were tries and others.plans to overcome situations. ready to apply action Nicols Sahli, CEO at Chilean agricultural firmBASFs experience has also been smooth. CIS Agro, thinks ANPROS has done a great jobBecause the seed business in Chile is recognizedplans to overcome coordinating with Customs, SAG and other Chileanas strategically important, teams at BASF andsituations. authorities to expedite the movements of seed andother firms have been permitted to move between moving to electronic documentation continues. Hisregions as needed with special permits, along with Yuri Charmeadvice to his counterparts echoes that of Schindler.social distancing and the use of masks. Act in advance, Sahli says, plan more and beWith respect to this, BASF local team mem-rigorous with documentation to avoid unforcedbers are visiting the fields, taking notes, videos or mistakes. pictures, explains lia de Domnech, BASF global head of communications for vegetable seeds.Other Firms Check In Editors Note: With the rapid changing situation Bayer has also been able to keep operations in thethat is COVID-19, this information has been updated counter season going smoothly this year.from the original story published in Dec. 2020.SW66/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2021'