The twelfth annual conference of the Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) took place from 9 to 11 December 2025 in Paro and Thimphu, the capital of the landlocked South Asian country of Bhutan. Test engineer Thilo Keunecke attended the conference as a representative of the DLG Test Centre.
Representatives from 15 nations gathered for the event, which was jointly organised by the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisation (CSAM), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), which acts as the ANTAM secretariat, the Agricultural Machinery and Technology Centre (AMTC) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
Representatives of the DLG Test Centre on site
ANTAM is an initiative led by ESCAP-CSAM with the aim of harmonising testing standards for agricultural machinery in the Asia-Pacific region. Test engineer Thilo Keunecke, representative of the DLG Test Centre, had the honour of attending this annual meeting in his capacity as OECD testing laboratory for the OECD Tractor Codes and as Germany's elected representative in the OECD Tractor Code Bureau and Chair of the OECD Tractor Codes. The OECD is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, based in Paris.
Representatives from 15 ANTAM member countries took part in the meeting, as well as delegates from the Bhutan Standards Bureau and representatives from the Bhutanese private sector. The meeting was chaired by Mr Sangay Lhendup, a Bhutanese national and ANTAM Chair for 2025. Turkey was elected Chair for 2026 and Vietnam was elected Vice-Chair.
What are the OECD tractor codes?
The DLG Test Centre is the German OECD testing laboratory and tests agricultural and forestry tractors and their components in accordance with the requirements of the OECD tractor codes. The DLG Test Centre currently cooperates with 30 OECD testing laboratories in Europe, Asia and the USA, which ensure compliance with OECD standards.
The Tractor Codes of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) represent a globally valid industry standard outside of ISO standardisation and thus support the expansion of world trade, the free movement of goods and capital, and the harmonisation of product standards.
The OECD Tractor Codes comply with the type approval requirements of the European Union and are recognised in the type approval process.
The approval process is handled by the OECD Coordinating Centre. OECD approvals are recognised in 27 countries, including five non-OECD member states (Brazil, China, India, the Russian Federation and Serbia).
Further information on the work of the OECD is available online: www.oecd.org/en/topics/agriculture-and-fisheries.html
Accreditation of new testing centres and application of testing fees
Among other things, initial applications from testing centres for accreditation and the appointment of a national authority (NDA) for the respective countries were discussed and debated. Other items on the agenda included the fee structure of the testing centres in the participating countries and, beyond that, how the testing fees can be used to support ANTAM. There were also a number of presentations, including on the importance of using new technologies for mechanisation, with reference to the relevant work of the OECD Tractor Codes on agricultural robots and electric tractors.
The delegates also visited the Agricultural Machinery and Technology Centre (AMTC) and the Bhutan Farm Machinery Corporation.
During the visit to the AMTC, there was also a demonstration of the Bhutanese testing standard for rice mills in Bhutan, as well as hand-arm vibrations and noise at the operator's ear when using mini or power tillers. For more information, please visit the official ANTAM website.
