A Roundtable Forum for Regional Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers/Distributors Associations was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK), on 22 November 2006. The Forum was organized by APCAEM in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of ROK and Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO). More than 70 participants attended the Forum, including representatives of the national associations for agricultural machinery manufacturers and distributors in the region and FAO. The event was held back to back with the second session of the Technical Committee (TC) of APCAEM. All TC members were also invited to participate in the Forum.

Dr. Joong-Wan CHO, Head/SEAO of APCAEM and Mr. CHOI Do-Il, Director-General of Food / Grain Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of ROK delivered opening statements.

The Forum was co-chaired by Dr. Bill Stout, former President of the International Commission of Agricultural Engineering and Professor Wang Maohua of China Agricultural University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Key resource persons from Bangladesh, China, India, ROK and the European Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ENTAM) in Rome made presentations on the current status of the agricultural machinery industry in their respective country, including the European Union, and on the strategies to identify and overcome trade barriers.

The Forum led to the formulation of recommendations and suggestions on strengthening the agricultural machinery industry and the supporting infrastructure to enhance information and technology exchange as well as trade promotion. Follow-up activities will include the possibility of establishing the Asian Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM).