Bayer and Solynta Collaborate to Advance True Potato Seed in Smallholder Markets
24 June 2024 - 9:16AM
Business Wire
Bayer and Solynta have reached an agreement to collaborate on
the commercialization and distribution of true potato seeds in
Kenyan and Indian markets. This partnership marks Bayer's entry
into the 20 million hectare global potato market and its first
collaboration with Solynta, a Dutch company developing robust
hybrid potato varieties.
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the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240621690049/en/
Peter Poortinga (CEO, Solynta) and Frank
Terhorst (Head of Strategy & Sustainability, Crop Science,
Bayer) (Photo: Business Wire)
The collaboration will center around Solynta’s expert knowledge
of potato breeding with the development of new robust potato
varieties that will thrive in key potato growing geographies. This
innovation will allow growers to plant potatoes from true seeds
rather than the traditional planting of tubers. Bayer will
distribute the new hybrid potato varieties to growers in remote
areas of Kenya and India.
Using true potato seeds instead of seed tubers has several
advantages for the potato industry. True potato seeds are smaller,
cleaner, disease-free, have a long shelf life, and are easier to
transport and store. They are available year-round and can be bred
with additional beneficial traits such as disease resistance and
climate resilience.
Bayer is adding true potato seeds to its portfolio as part of
its regenerative agriculture strategy, focusing on resilient and
sustainable food systems. “Seed innovation is one of our key focus
areas,” said Frank Terhorst, Head of Strategy & Sustainability
at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “We expect Solynta’s true potato
seeds to have a positive impact on local communities and on food
and nutritional security.”
“Adding true potato seeds to our portfolio is a natural
progression of our team’s work to support smallholder growers and
offer the latest innovations,” said Inci Dannenberg, President,
Global Vegetable Seeds, Bayer.
Peter Poortinga, CEO of Solynta, pointed out that the true
potato seeds are the result of almost two decades of work on
Solynta’s hybrid potato breeding technology. “Hybrid breeding is a
proven technology in many existing food crops, which allows fast
development of new varieties with desirable traits, such as disease
resistances. We are delighted to join forces with Bayer on the
introduction and distribution of our true potato seeds.”
"We are focused on introducing true potato seeds, and conducting
field and commercial trials to demonstrate their effectiveness. We
are thrilled to partner with Bayer for the further commercial
roll-out in Kenya and India," said Solynta’s CCO Joost van
Regteren.
Read the full press release here; or learn more at
www.bayer.com and www.solynta.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240621690049/en/
Caroline Elias, caroline.elias@solynta.com