Dutch seed specialist Rijk Zwaan saw increased revenue and profit from its operations during the 2016/17 financial year, allowing it to continue with what the company called 'substantial' research and development investment.
The group said that turnover for the year-long period had grown 8 per cent to €420m, while operating result came in at €11m and profit stood at €88m - 'due entirely' to expansion outside the Netherlands, Rijk Zwaan noted.
Market share in the Netherlands remained high, the group confirmed, while revealing that some €120m had been invested in R&D over the past year, with the majority of research activities concentrated at De Lier and Fijnaart.
'Substantial sums were invested in the expansion of research and breeding activities over the past financial year,' the group stated. 'For example, a new 'Seed Quality Center' was built at De Lier, increasing the capacity for laboratory tests. That enables Rijk Zwaan to continue to meet the high quality demands of the market.
'All seeds produced throughout the world come to the Netherlands for thorough quality control before delivery. The laboratory capacity at Fijnaart is being doubled to accommodate the expected growth.'
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