Bayer, Solynta Partner to Supply ‘True Potato Seeds’ in Kenya & India
Bayer has a long-standing presence in the market, and Solynta, a Dutch company, focuses on developing robust hybrid potato varieties
In a recent agreement, Bayer and Solynta have partnered to distribute and commercialize true potato seeds in the Kenyan and Indian markets. Smallholder farmers in Kenya face numerous challenges, including the quality of their seeds. The introduction of new potato seeds raises the question: can farmers anticipate better outcomes?
This collaboration aims to improve productivity and sustainability of this critical staple food crop, enhancing food and nutritional security. The robust new varieties are bred to withstand challenging conditions, benefiting local communities and increasing farmer incomes.
The new hybrid potato varieties will be distributed in the form of true seeds by Bayer to potato growers in remote areas of Kenya and India. These true potato seeds are clean and disease-free, offering significant advantages over traditional seed tubers.
In Kenya, potato is the second most important staple crop. Growers currently rely on seed tubers, which are often carriers of potato diseases. In India, which has the world’s second-largest potato market, the focus on these two regions is due to the readily available market. The partnership aims to address major problems such as diseases, climate impacts, and low resilience while ensuring high yields.
Bayer has a long-standing presence in the market, and Solynta, a Dutch company, focuses on developing robust hybrid potato varieties for the world’s fourth-largest crop by global production volume and one of the most widely cultivated horticultural crops worldwide.
Frank Terhorst, Head of Strategy & Sustainability at Bayer’s Crop Science Division, stated that the addition of true potato seeds to Bayer’s portfolio aligns with its regenerative agriculture strategy, which focuses on building more resilient and sustainable food systems.
Terhorst revealed that the Kenyan and Indian markets, which together cover over 20 million hectares of the global potato market, will only need 25 grams of clean and disease-free true potato seeds per hectare to start a crop, compared to the 2500 kilograms of perishable seed tubers previously required.
Peter Poortinga, CEO of Solynta, highlighted that the true potato seeds are the result of nearly two decades of work on hybrid potato breeding technology at Solynta.
“Hybrid breeding is a proven technology in many existing food crops, allowing for the rapid development of new varieties with desirable traits, such as disease resistance. We are delighted to join forces with Bayer to introduce and distribute our true potato seeds in these markets. This collaboration marks a significant step towards the widespread commercial introduction of true potato seeds and the establishment of sustainable potato cropping systems,” Poortinga concluded.
