Seed-breeder Rijk Zwaan officially opened its new Brazilian subsidiary on 22 June.
The Dutch company hopes the new opening will develop its presence in South America further and give it a stronger footing in the expanding vegetable and melon seed market.
Rijk Zwaan has had a presence in Brazil for 15 years through local distributors and its melon, tomato and lettuce varieties are already well known. But in opening its own subsidiary company, it hopes to focus on other crops as well as build on the success of these three lines.
The Rijk Zwaan Brazil management team comprises Joop Vegter and Lionel Bardin. In addition to its head office in Holambra, near São Paulo, the company has trial locations in Holambra and Mossoró in north-eastern Brazil. There are plans to organise international field days at these locations several times a year for growers and business partners from the whole of South America.
Marco van Leeuwen, Rijk Zwaan managing director said: “With the foundation of RZ Brasil and the formation of a new, experienced and motivated team, we have taken an important step in extending our commercial activities in South America. This continent - and Brazil in particular - is developing rapidly, and offers excellent possibilities. We are looking forward to creating many new varieties with even more added value in terms of resistances, yield, taste and visual appearance.”
The official opening took place during the Hortitec fair in Brazil, and was attended by a large number of partners and business relations, both from Brazil and the rest of South America. Many of them also visited the demo field in Holambra on a trip that RZ Brasil had arranged to coincide with the event.
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