The Dutch breeding specialist’s new 40ha facility in Mogi Mirim is an investment in developing varieties tailored to tropical conditions
Rijk Zwaan has announced the launch of a new open-field breeding station in Mogi Mirim, Brazil.
According to the vegetable breeding specialist, the new facility represents an “important step” in the company’s ambition to develop fruit and vegetable varieties tailored to tropical climates.
The breeding station has been operational since August 2024 and was officially opened on 16 June 2026.
Over recent years, 40ha of land in Brazil have been transformed into what the company called a “future-proof” breeding location.
The expansion is designed to strengthen Rijk Zwaan’s global research network and support the development of fruit and vegetable varieties for growers in tropical regions.
Rijk Zwaan noted that local selection is “essential” to develop strong and reliable vegetable varieties for tropical regions.
The new station allows breeders to select plants based on their tolerances to local fungi, bacteria, viruses and heavy tropical rainfall.
“Developing innovative varieties that perform well in tropical climates requires selection under those exact conditions,” said managing director Martijn Eggink.
“With this location, we now have the space and environment to do just that.”
Rijk Zwaan Brasil has been active in the local market since 2006, developing close contact with growers, retailers and chain partners, and bridging the gap between breeding and market needs.
“Establishing a large-scale breeding station in the tropics required a pioneering mindset,” added Lionel Bardin, managing director of Rijk Zwaan Brasil.
“Experience from other locations could not simply be replicated, so the team combined knowledge from across the organisation with local insights, learning and adapting along the way.”
